Photo by Shane Garlock
On a dirt path, leading to nowhere, a weary traveler walked. He was tired from his travels and wounded from battle. Along this path he came across Fate, Life, and Death.
“O man, where are you going?” asked Fate.
“O soldier, where are you now?” asked Life.
“O wounded one, will you rest?” asked Death.
The man answered them with a heavy heart. “To home I tread though I would not have been hurt had fate spared me in battle. I am on this dreadful path because life has placed me in a war away from home. Though I am tired I wish never to rest for the sake of not losing the pleasures of this life, for many have already been taken from me.” With these words Fate took from the man his wound, Life took from the soldier the battle in which he fought, and Death took from the wounded one his rest.
Sometime later, on that same dirt path, a woman came across Fate, Life, and Death. She carried a heavy basket though it was light compared to the burden of sickness that lay on her shoulders.
“Woman, where are you going?” asked Fate.
“Farmer’s wife, where are you now?” asked Life
“Sick lady, will you rest?” asked Death.
The woman answered them with a saddened heart. “To the healer’s I go for my sickness is bound to worsen because of fate’s desire. I am on this dirty path because life has given me work that must be done. I wish to rest the moment I am able to lay aside the burden of living.” At the woman’s testimony, Fate took away her sickness, Life took from the farmer’s wife her work, and Death took from the sick lady her restlessness.
Early morning, on the same dirt path traveled by the soldier and the farmer’s wife, a child skipped in the dust. He came upon Fate, Life, and Death along the way.
“Child, where are you going?” asked Fate.
“Carpenter’s son, where are you now?” asked Life.
“Innocent one, when will you rest?” asked Death.
The child answered them with a humble heart.“I am going to my father’s home as fate would have that I am lost. I am on this dirt path as life has taken me astray, but I am working to find my way again. I will rest when I have accomplished what must be done.”
Hearing the child’s tale, Fate gave the child a way home, Life gave the carpenter’s infant a straight path, and Death gave the innocent one a promise of rest when that which must be done was done.
The man returned home, but because he was not wounded he never met the healer that was to be his wife, because he was not in battle he did not save the life of his brother, and because he refused rest he lived to see all those he loved die.
The woman never learned the truth of her sickness because Fate took it from her. Because she no longer worked she lost everything, and because she begged for rest before her time was due she caused those who knew her sorrow and grief.
The child, having strived to form his fate, returned home. Because he was willing to accept the twists of life he walked a happy path, and when the child finished what needed to be finished he gladly accepted rest.
Fate, Life, and Death looked to one another, recalling the events of the man, the woman and the child.
“The man suffered for dwelling on his past fate.” said Fate.
“The woman had no life, for seeking only the future.” stated Life
“The child sought to grasp the present before death came to him.” finished Death. They all agreed that of the three travelers, the child was the wisest. He had moved beyond the past, made the most of the present, and had prepared himself for the future.
Elise Temkkit is a freshman at Paul Smith’s College majoring in Communications. She is from small town, Lancaster, NH where she has wonderful parents, four amazing siblings, and a crazy dog. In her spare time, she enjoys playing and composing music, taking pictures, reading and working on her artwork. She enjoys all forms of writing and loves reading everyone’s unique style!