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Just a lil story -- kinda pertinent
Many years ago, there was a man whose life had turned badly. He lost his wife, he lost his job, he lost his car, he lost.. everything that mattered to him. He was despondent and angry and depressed. He decided to make a pilgrimage to the highest mount and demand an answer from the Universe why his life had turned out so badly.
He booked passage on a freighter going to the orient, and sure enough, his ticket was blown away by the first strong breeze. His money was gone, having been spent on the ticket.. he had no more. He talked to the captain and was allowed to work his way across the ocean in the bowels of the ship, oiling the bilge pump.
Once across the ocean, he left the ship and was immediately robbed. Though he had no money, he had shoes, and so the robbers took those... and his shirt.
Still he trudged on, determined to find answers, so strongly did he burn with questions!
On and on, through cold, through night, through hunger. He became somewhat of a legend, the crazy white man with no shoes and shirt. Eventually the robbers found he had nothing to rob, so they left him alone. Especially since he started to growl a very disturbing growl when anyone came near him.
Up and up, through cold, through night, through madness. After many months of living on bugs and roots, of drinking from cold mountain streams that were downstream from where the animals.. well.. you get the idea.. He reached the top of the highest mountain in the Himalayan mounts. He stood straight and tall on the toppest mount there was, raised his arms above his head and shouted. "Why?? Why?? All my life I've tried to live a good life, be a good man, do things proper and right, and all I got from it was misery! Why?? Why??!!"
and the Universe said.....
nothing.
Once again, the man said "I demand an answer! I have gone through trials and tribulations beyond endurance to be here! I have suffered and starved and now I want an answer! It isn't fair what I've gone through! It just isn't fair!"
This time, the clouds parted. The Thunder rolled. The Lightning flashed.. or maybe the lightning flashed before the thunder.. special effects are soo tricky.
Regardless, the sky opened up and revealed the utmost darkness of the Universe and from the depths of the darkness a voice boomed out and said:
"Oh? It's not? I'm sorry."
He booked passage on a freighter going to the orient, and sure enough, his ticket was blown away by the first strong breeze. His money was gone, having been spent on the ticket.. he had no more. He talked to the captain and was allowed to work his way across the ocean in the bowels of the ship, oiling the bilge pump.
Once across the ocean, he left the ship and was immediately robbed. Though he had no money, he had shoes, and so the robbers took those... and his shirt.
Still he trudged on, determined to find answers, so strongly did he burn with questions!
On and on, through cold, through night, through hunger. He became somewhat of a legend, the crazy white man with no shoes and shirt. Eventually the robbers found he had nothing to rob, so they left him alone. Especially since he started to growl a very disturbing growl when anyone came near him.
Up and up, through cold, through night, through madness. After many months of living on bugs and roots, of drinking from cold mountain streams that were downstream from where the animals.. well.. you get the idea.. He reached the top of the highest mountain in the Himalayan mounts. He stood straight and tall on the toppest mount there was, raised his arms above his head and shouted. "Why?? Why?? All my life I've tried to live a good life, be a good man, do things proper and right, and all I got from it was misery! Why?? Why??!!"
and the Universe said.....
nothing.
Once again, the man said "I demand an answer! I have gone through trials and tribulations beyond endurance to be here! I have suffered and starved and now I want an answer! It isn't fair what I've gone through! It just isn't fair!"
This time, the clouds parted. The Thunder rolled. The Lightning flashed.. or maybe the lightning flashed before the thunder.. special effects are soo tricky.
Regardless, the sky opened up and revealed the utmost darkness of the Universe and from the depths of the darkness a voice boomed out and said:
"Oh? It's not? I'm sorry."
four stars for the story
"What Can a Thoughtful Man Hope for Mankind of Earth, Given the Experience of the Past Million Years?" and the contents of that chapter the one word, "Nothing."
And then when he says
"I knew what had gone wrong -- where and how. So what?"
I guess the point is that these mistakes are made and these shitty things happen, regardless of whether or not we understand why, and that understanding doesn't really help anything anyway...We've just got to endure those robberies and those insults and those shoeless walks until can we stand on that highest top of the toppest mount and do so proudly, and...that's it. Just be and be content.
Have you published anything?
Re: four stars for the story
This story is a Zen Joke I heard a long time ago. I agree with your assesment, and am beginning to think you must be a long lost daughter or some other kin. The true answer to Why life is unfair that I've found to be true is the image of 'the last act of defiance' where a mouse is giving an eagle the finger as the eagle dives down.
Re: four stars for the story
i'm sorry to hear you're a "rejected" author. a whole lot of people are missing out on a whole lot of truth and beauty.
Re: four stars for the story
Truth and Beauty! Oh my.. flattery will get you anywhere at all! Truth is relative to the individual and if you find truth in my words, than I am touched and honored. Beauty, though.. that just warms me to my toes to hear that. For that, you get one extra Santa Peck on the Cheek.
Re: four stars for the story
Re: four stars for the story
Re: four stars for the story
Re: four stars for the story
Re: four stars for the story
I have a link for you:
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Bokononism