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The Journey of Life

Part 1

There once was a land that sat at the base of two mountain ranges. I guess you could say it sat in a valley with mountain ranges on both sides. These ranges of mountains were so tall that the top of each of them was cloaked in the clouds nearly all the time. Because of this, no one had ever actually climbed either mountain. At least that was what many thought. You see there was actually, a tradition that some said was only a dream, that a young man had actually climbed the mountains, in fact the tallest of them all, all the way to the top. Over time the villagers began to dis-believe their traditions about this lone climber but there were still some who would not give up the idea.

One day a group of brave men and women from this group who would not give up the idea, gathered at the foot of this mountain. These villagers decided to make an attempt to prove whether the tradition was history or hoax. So they met to discuss and strategize a plan to ascend the mountain. One person had come up with an idea and had gathered a group of these brave ones. The plan was to attempt to climb the mountain, if it was possible; they weren't sure, but they wanted to find out. Since nobody else had ever climbed it to the top, except maybe the one of tradition, most villagers didn't believe it could be done. Some held to a rumor that the one who had climbed had said he would come back some day and that he would carry the rest to the top, but the idea that one person could carry all the rest was so preposterous that most didn't believe it. The villagers, at least the ones that did choose to believe this dream, actually had decided to do little but wait for it to happen. Most villagers did not believe it was possible to climb the mountain at all, except maybe in theory and remember many didn't believe it had really ever been climbed at all. But this group who called themselves "New Mountain Climbers" counted themselves worthy to make the attempt.

So they met at the bottom of the mountain in what they called "base camp" and started to actually plan their climb. But a strange thing happened. The longer the group of climbers sat in the base camp tent and discussed the plan, the more they discovered that they didn't really know how to climb and they found, because of this, they had much to discuss. What would they do if they got to the first outcropping where the large rocks stuck out and even from the base they could tell the climbing would be so very dangerous? Also, how would they deal with the ever changing weather? What if there was a rockslide? If they ever got to the part that was always in the clouds, what if they couldn't see? How would they find their way back? The traditions said the one had actually made it to the top said there would be an unmistakable trail and that there were some kind of helpers, though no one really knew what that meant, but what if that whole story wasn't true, what would they do then? How would they know what route to take? Questions like these troubled them greatly, so they sat and talked and talked and argued and argued, all about the best way to climb the mountain. Some attempted to remind the group how the one who had actually climbed it had done it; you see there was a book written by some villagers who were alive at the time that provided a simple record, but even that didn't seem to instill enough confidence that they could begin a real climb.

Well, they continued to discuss these things until a year went by. Then another year went by and another and another and another until a generation had passed. The simple book was re-written again and again to put it into a more common language for the later times and to help describe what the group could remember of tales long forgotten or barely remembered, of the few attempts to climb the mountain. Everyone who had ever tried to climb throughout all history and had any success at all was added to the book. The more it was re-written the more difficult it became to tell the tale of how the one who had climbed it actually did it. The sons and daughters of these brave climbers eventually joined in the discussions and gradually took them over. Then another generation did the same, then another, then another.

After many generations, no one even remembered that the "New Mountain Climbers" group had been started by brave mountain climbers and gradually their purpose evolved into something altogether different. The group's purpose changed into, one of waiting for the one who had actually climbed, to come back and show them how, or even to carry them to the top. They even began to call themselves "Followers of the Climber" rather than "Climbers".

But during all this time, nobody ever really climbed the mountain. Every so often one or more would get tired of waiting and would actually attempt the climb. They were always ridiculed and harassed as they attempted the lowest levels where they could be seen from the village and the base camp. Sometimes they called down from the lower points on the mountain where they got stuck or had trouble only to have the "Followers" call them down. They were criticized as being unfit for climbing and their paths were made fun of. After all, who were they to think they had what it took to climb for real? Eventually even these few quit and returned to base camp. For generations all was quiet on the mountain. You see the theory developed that only those who had studied climbing were suitable to be "Followers". Fear of ridicule had kept many who thought they might try from actually doing it so for years and years no one tried.

Part 2

Many years and even generations later, another book suddenly appeared in the village. It was a book that described what one could see from the top of the mountain and how each villager of every village could make the climb if they simply chose to. Included in this book were details of the kinds of things one could expect along the way. It also described the life of the original climber who had actually made it the first time. The climbers in the base camp tent became incensed when they discovered this book and immediately and vehemently announced that it was a fraud. How could it be that someone would attempt to be so arrogant as to write a book describing something nobody was able to do since the original climber? After all, these Followers had devoted their whole lives to learning how to climb and this new book had been written without anyone even discussing it with them; not to mention that no one even asked them for their help or approval? They had devoted their lives to studying the art of climbing and had built great institutions of learning and practice to teach others how to know how to climb. They knew they were "the official Followers" therefore the new book must be a fraud.

But you see, this new book was written by assistants to the original climber and at his request. These helpers were in the realm of the villages to be helpers of the original and real climber; but they were helpers the villagers not only could not see, but didn't even know or believe existed. But had the villagers ever really climbed, they would have discovered these helpers just as the original climber had said they would. This new book was so exquisitely and deeply written and so intricately detailed that many villagers weren't able to understand it. Many who had no intention of climbing would not even attempt to read it. But some did. They immediately discovered that the words made more sense and explained the art of climbing in more detail than anything they had ever seen. Gradually a wonderful thing happened. Groups of villagers formed with the intent to read the book together and learn how to climb. Some got very good at the practice of knowing how to climb and were able to show others how to know how. As these groups got better and better at knowing the art of climbing, another gradual transformation happened. Villagers again became complacent and decided that merely learning how to climb was, again, the true goal, even of the new book and, as well, the true goal of the original climber. Only, again, no one climbed. After thousands of years, the mountain still had only been climbed all the way by one individual and it had only one set of tracks.

Then one day a lone villager got an idea to climb. This villager had never read the "Climbers" first book or even the new book that had appeared in the village but just simply decided to climb to see what was on top. This villager didn't have anything to prove, but somehow had an inner desire to climb. So climb he did. After a short time climbing, he discovered the original tracks of the first climber and received an inspiration from one of the original climber's invisible helpers. He made a promise to himself that he would climb to the top, no matter what it took. Some years later another villager from a different village made the same decision, received a similar inspiration and climbed on; a few years after that, they both met on the mountain. Now there were two real climbers. They climbed on and on facing all sorts of challenges and troubles along the way. Every time the climbers faced a new challenge the original climber would send some inspirational assistance to them through his unseen helpers, making the way clear so they could continue. Gradually they realized that the original climber had told the villagers he would do that but only for those who actually climbed the mountain. These things were written in the first book and in the second book as well.

Part 3

One day while they were climbing way up in the clouds where they couldn't see, they caught a glimpse through a break in the clouds, of the path ahead. To their astonishment, the path was flat. The land ahead was not mountainous it was lush and green and filled with fruit trees and it appeared to go on and on to the horizon. Actually it was rolling countryside so flat is over stating it but compared to the mountain they thought they were on it would be considered flat.

"What could this mean," they thought? So for quite some time they walked along the edge of the hillside they had just climbed up and looking down into the valley below where the villagers lived they realized something. From what they now knew as the edge of the hillside, they could see across the valley to the land on the other side. It too, was like the land on their side.

Then it dawned on them, or maybe the answer was given from the original climber, that the land was all flat. Then they noticed a pattern in the valley. The valley had been made by something, it wasn't natural. As they thought about this an inspiration came to them at the same time. The valley was created; created by one of the helpers of the original climber when he tried to deliberately change the original climber's rules and make the realm operate the way he thought it should. It turned out all he did was to create a rut, a long indentation in the plain of the realm and caused all the villages to sink to the level of his deceitful design. This rut maker's actions created chaos and confusion for all the villagers and filled the valley with a spirit of fear. For generations upon generations the villagers lived in this giant rut. They knew of the legends regarding the deceiver but no one had ever discovered just what the original climber had made possible by his act of climbing out of the rut.

Now, for the first time since the original climber had climbed the path to the top of the hills overlooking the valley, his path had been followed to the top. Once again the true meaning of his words could be realized and spoken openly. The valley is finished. Life on the plain above was the new standard of real existance. Villagers were free to make this one last climb, even to help each other get out of the miserable conditions they had come to know as life. Life was about freedom to know the truth, live the truth and prosper in righteousness and truth. Selfishness was not our destiny, faithfulness is, they found out. There is a new place for all who wish to climb, who wish to know the wonderful freedom of this achievement. This finally proved what others had said for centuries; all villagers from every village, no matter what they had been in the past, could climb out of the rut. All anyone had to do is believe there was something to climb for and decide to climb. Nothing more! That was the true message of both books, the original climber and everyone who had sincerely tried to climb throughout all history.

Well the "Followers" were not a happy bunch. The lengthy analysis of climbing they had accomplished for thousands of years proved to be unnecessary and a waste of time. This sudden and unexpected intrusion into their highly developed theocracy was devastating. At first they were convinced that the original deceiver had returned. "This is a trick," they thought, "clearly this is meant to deceive and confuse the villagers." But gradually as more and more people began to make the climb the idea of it being false faded away and those who refused to accept the new reality met to plot a way to stop the growth of this new way. While they were plotting in secret, outside, climbing became the pastime of more and more people. But the "Followers" were not the only ones who objected. Those who had come to make great wealth and those who had used the villagers as pawns and slaves for their own greed, plotted against this as well. After all, they had relied on the villagers to be villagers so they could make money and have lives of riches and great wealth in the valley. They had no intention of climbing out of the rut, even if it was a rut. Eventually, both groups banded together and decided to go to war against the climbers and especially the two who had discovered the way out of the rut. They decided that no effort short of annihilation would rid the valley of this plague of climbers. So they killed the two climbers who had made the discovery and many, many of those who were climbing out. The more they killed, the more began to climb. Soon a war to end all wars was taking place. But this didn't last long because the original climber, who is really the Chief of All Servants for this land, sent an assistant to come to the realm, put a stop to the carnage and fill in the rut. The battles stopped and an announcement the likes of which no one had ever heard was broadcast. Everyone was informed that they had only one choice. The rut was going to be filled in. The only hope of continued life was to climb out of the rut. Those who chose to ignore the warning would be buried forever. It was their last chance. So as the rut was filled in many chose to climb and many did not.

Once the rut was gone a whole new perspective on the meaning of life began to be realized by the villagers who were left. Life took on a whole new set of practical meanings and the unseen helpers came in abundance to assist the Chief of All Servants in helping each one adopt the standards and practices of living on this new plain of reality. They also discovered that the second book, the one that had appeared so suddenly one day in the village in the valley, was actually written as an instruction manual for this new reality. Some who had read and studied it when in the valley became the teachers of the rest. Gradually life became positive and progress was measured in adherence to the principles of right doing as the book says.

So, you see, climbing is for everyone. The mountain is not really a mountain, nor is it so tall or as fearsome as the villagers believed. Once one gets used to the idea, climbing out seems pretty simple. The villagers begin to learn that living out of the rut was their true destiny. It actually becomes apparent that climbing was built into who we were designed to be. It is one of our natural states.

Please climb with us.

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