A young man, full of zest and life,
Eager to embark upon the path ahead,
Wide eyed, bushy tailed as it were,
With a song on his lips, set out on his way...
Packing his portions for the trip,
Having two trusty steeds, fresh and strong,
Bidding farewell to his parents and siblings,
“Let’s go!” he exclaimed, impatient and eager…
Quickly he drove on, his young horses galloped,
Excited to see what lied ahead,
But the journey was long, the road windy,
Soon he tired, and trotted along..
Then he saw on the path,
An old man walking, with a twisty stick,
Unkempt hair, unkempt beard,
Singing gaily, without a care…
“O wise traveller!” the young one called out,
“Wise?” the aged one replied and guffawed,
“A polite one, you are my friend,
Aged indeed, this body is, wisdom I still await!” he jested..
The young man was delighted, to have a companion,
Keen he was to hear the stories of this wise one,
“You must have a loving family, how full of life you are!” he said,
“Family!” The old one laughed, it tickled him much..
“Ah, if by family, you mean the woods and its critters,
and now you my friend, then yes I am full,
There is no more I ask or need,
The type of family you seek, that came and went” he said..
“Pray tell me more friend, what happened to them?”
“All that one pines for, all of that I had,
A full life, a soulmate, young ones to raise,
A kingdom, riches, name and fame,
Hehe all of that, you will have too!”
“My soulmate, shed her body some years back,
Perhaps meet her I will, after some time,
Young ones, they have their adventures now,
And now I wander,
listening to the stories of the woods,
Sharing a little, to young ones like you!”
“Oh no I’m sorry!” the young man exclaimed,
“Why in the world would you be?” the old one laughed,
“I am blessed, more than I could have asked!
Permanence, am I a fool? To expect permanence!” he grinned..
“How, what’s your secret? Everything gone, how do you laugh?”
“Secret? There is none! Gone you say? Whatever was mine?
Look around my friend, these trees, the stream,
The chirping birds, the flowers and fruits…
The mountains yonder, the clouds above,
Is it yours, is it mine, what do we have, what is gone?
The young body you have, will wither away like mine,
My old body will soon be one with the dirt,
This my friend, is the secret if you will call it so,
The open secret, plain to all eyes..
Foolish are we to grasp and to own,
Foolish are we to expect permanence,
Enjoy, love, rejoice, make merry!
If you seek permanence, come reason with me..
Here in this chariot, two you see,
One young, one old, riding a chariot with horses,
The discerning eye will see, this body is yet another chariot,
Made of flesh, blood, bone,
Carrying yet another, unseen with these eyes,
That my friend, is never gone!
What is it that we seek without?
Reason my friend, it is hidden in plain sight!
When you find that, that light of all lights,
You will laugh like me, it is so much fun!”
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