Theos-Talk Archives (December 1997 Message tt00053)

The unknown passage

There was an old man, who was loathsome to behold. For his teeth had moved
in the jaw, and did not fit properly; his hair was unkempt, his eyes, with
milk-blindness; his features were sunken and gave no hint whatsoever of his
former portrait in youth.
One day, there came by him, a distraught soldier, who was on his way to his
first commission. The young man had been weeping and the old crow of a man
went to his assistance.
"Come, come, my young fellow", he croaked, "Why do you cry so mournfully?"
"What would you know, old man?" The young soldier protested. "You have been
given more than your fill of life, and I, at such an early age will be
deprived of mine!"
"Then perhaps I should go in place of you, and in return you may live that
life which I have endured? Would this be your will?"
The bewildered young man, was confused with his fear, and now with such
uncommon speculation. He bethought this to be a mocking jest, and answered
so: "Oh yes, old man, I shall trade you my destiny which is doomed, for a
piece of those years and your destiny's past."
"So be it." The elderly one sighed.
And instantly the two were transfigured.
During the next sixty years or so, the youth became as old. And with many a
struggle, and a battle of kind, he had come to the end of his days to find
experience was behind him, and poverty affront. His limbs were beginning to
fail, he was still much tormented by those dreams that were as yet
unfulfilled. And he now spent his days at the road-side, watching the
traffic go to and fro. He had felt cheated when thought, that his life
lived was not of his own - that he should never come to know, what might
have been, were it under his directive, and not just the mere reproduction
of another's. He had pondered as to what had become of his perpetual
partner, until one day when a young soldier came by. And he recognised his
face all at once, for this was his face, his very own he had long ago worn!

"Do you not know me?" he croaked, to the youth there before him.
"No old man, I do not know you. Should I?" replied the soldier, as he flung
a few copper coins at his feet.
"I am Fate" the old man murmured, as he gazed with great intent.
"Pleased to meet you, and fare you well! For I am the conscious Will, and
must now go my way", and so saying, departed, with a laugh and a wave,
cheerio.

We may all assume the life of destiny, or live the life of one with
free-will. There is a marriage of both, in a man, who throughout the course
of life, is offered both limitations and possibilities, concurrently. We
are wise to discern which is which, and one from another, and be content
with both, for they are brothers - brothers out of time.
Anonymous

Bruce