The River of Life flowed towards the Sea of Perpetual Universal Drift. On the left bank sat Mother Failure, and on the right bank Father Success. The patrons of life rowed canoes of their worldly possessions up and down the river. One thing was certain, rowing upstream was more difficult than rowing in the direction of the water’s flow. Mankind struggled on the river, rowing desperately in an attempt to avoid being swept south into the Sea of Perpetual Universal Drift. Mankind struggled desperately to anchor onto the Bank of Success.
On the Bank of Success, Father Success provided the best meals, fruits from the best orchards, wines of rare origin, music to soothe the ragged senses of man, it appeared to many as a place of rest.
On the Bank of Failure, Mother Failure provided admonishments, lessons and trials, some of which were grueling, and tested the will, courage, and hearts of men. Mankind tried desperately to avoid this side of the river. One needed only to row near the Bank of Failure, and the powerful current would do one in smashing their canoe of life’s possessions against the bank, and leaving the soul in ruins. Death seemed to hover over this bank. It was mankind’s dreaded curse. Many a soul was known to have died in the clutches of Failure.
On the Bank of Failure, souls were forced to rebuild, re-evaluate, and develop new plans and plot alternate courses of action. There were meager resources available and rebuilding the Canoe of Life to set sail upon the River of Life, the river traversed by mankind, was virtually impossible.
Souls on the Bank of Success, directly opposite the Bank of Failure, appeared contented, cheerful, and filled with great promise. However, the souls on the Bank of Failure looked tired, depressed, and in deep despair.
A tired soul sat on the Bank of Failure trapped, all had been lost. After many years of stagnancy all hope seemed illusive. On a day of added frustrations and torturous feelings of regret, the soul sought a meeting with Mother Failure.
Thought the soul, “I am leaving this place today, I may die in my attempt but at least I would have tried.”
“Who dares disturb me? Do you not know that I have the power to cause you irreparable harm? Depart from my sight immediately!” These were the callous words of Mother Failure.
The soul shaking in fear mustered up the courage to utter a few words.
“It is I, a poor soul unfamiliar to you as there are many of us trapped here. I am hungry, sad, and desperate for sunshine and the goodness of life, I am weary of this place. A misfortune placed me here, bad luck crashed me upon your bank.” This soul was terrified at facing Failure and the reality of its impact was as painful as the events that led said soul to this place.
The brave coward continued, “To be exact the East Winds crashed my canoe of possessions upon your bank. It wasn’t my doing, therefore, Mother Failure why must I suffer?” Finally the soul uttered the most painful thought. The question asked by many souls in the same predicament. Why Me?
Mother Failure stared at the soul who stood fearfully before her. This was the first soul to confront her in many moons. Standing before her a mere mortal’s soul requested an answer from the Goddess of Failure—a goddess feared by men.
“My, you are but a young soul, barely one gray of wisdom crowns your head. Why do you ask me this question? Mortal, I never beckoned you here. The Winds of Life brought you to my banks. As with all of your kind, the Currents of the Riverbed, the Winds of Life, the Stroke of the Oars, Miscalculated Turns, unseen Rocks Beneath the Bed of Life, mortal, these are the reasons why you all are trapped on my banks. The decision to remain is yours.”
Mother Failure was annoyed, however she engaged this soul in conversation.
“Behold, your feet stand before me, and your legs quiver in fear. Are they bound with chains or fetters? No. There are no laws dictating that upon arriving on the Banks of Failure you may never, and can never leave.” Mother Failure embraced transformed the encounter into a teaching moment.
“I do know this, every minute you remain here lamenting your loss and the fact that you must begin anew, you age. If you linger on my banks life will pass you by and one morning you will awake old, gray, and too weak to leave this place. Consequently like many before you, as you wallow in self-pity I, Mother Failure, will be blamed for your plight, wasted years, and your entrapment by circumstances. Mortal, listen carefully to the words I utter it is you who’ve imprisoned self on my banks. The choice to stay is yours.”
Mother Failure was now silent.
The mere soul stood speechless paralyzed by the words of Mother Failure, and confronting simple truths.
to be continued……..