In the Golden, Land called ‘Someplace’ lived four friends among others. These four friends were unique, distinct, with a mind of their own. However, they still were the best of pals. ‘Someplace’ was a golden land of Kosen Rufu. Gradually there came a time when it became a trial. The four associates stopped communicating and went their separate ways.
Faith turned towards the North, to never look back.
Practice moved to the East, vouching it was forever.
Study moved to the West, with a determination to never return.
‘The Fourth’ friend, was lost. He stayed back in ‘Someplace’ all sad and depressed.
Years went by. As fate would have it, Faith returned and so did Practice and Study. Faith was now a halo- an aura in blue. Practice shone a shimmering red. Study, was a soothing green. The three erstwhile friends tried best to ignore each other. They, nonetheless, had to come together to meet ‘The Fourth’. They knew he would not meet them otherwise. So reluctantly, Faith, Study, and Practice arrived at the ‘The Fourth’s’ hut.
‘The Fourth’ was nowhere to be found! They searched for him taking turns as they could barely tolerate each other. Days went by, but ‘The Fourth’ had vanished into thin air! Now in a crisis, worried about their best friends, Practice, Study and Faith grudgingly decided to bury their hatchet and search for ‘The Fourth’ together. They went to the North to look for him, then to the East, West and the South. ‘The Fourth’ remained missing.
Not broken, not sad, the three friends realized that they still had hope when they were together. And this collective hope gave them knowledge, and then a direction….
They walked back to ‘Someplace’ and then climbed the highest mountain there, looking for their friend. They saw someone walking with the children of ‘Someplace’ in a green patch. This person looked like ‘The Fourth’. Faith, Study, and Practice jumped with joy and ran towards their long lost friend.
'The Fourth’ was ecstatic to find his friends unitedly, like earlier. The four friends held each others’ hands and did their customary dance. The friends' then asked ‘The Fourth’ where he had disappeared, revealing the efforts they had made to locate him but to no avail! A smiling ‘The Fourth’ who now radiated an aura as bright as a star, said that he was “right here”. Looking at the perplexed expression of the trio, ‘The Fourth’ said these lines to his buddies.
“My dears, when you all moved away, I was sad. I was lonely. Something in me was dying. ‘Someplace’ was dying along with me.
What could I do to save it all?
I thought I’d do everything by Faith, just like you, my friend. This approach benefitted me but no beauty came with it. I was at a loss! What next? Why this? Why not that?
Subsequently, I thought, I would do what you used to, Study. I gained immense knowledge but I could not share it with the citizens of ‘Someplace’, as I was learning for myself. I was only enhancing my own skills but ‘Someplace’ was deteriorating and I with it.
Then I started to go by your philosophy, Practice. Alas! I forgot all I had learned through learning. I barely remembered some. This eventually made me start losing faith.
‘Someplace’ in the meantime was no more a golden land. We had riots, diseases, famines; people were losing their morality, financial deficit and much more. I remembered how everyone was joyous and victorious around us when all the four of us were together. I pondered, ‘What if I walked in Faith, resolute in Practice, wise with Study?’
And that was my victory and that of ‘Someplace’.
I am ‘The Seeker’. If you look at me individually, you won’t see me anymore. If you all join hands and see me with one heart, you will find in me, your friend- ‘The Seeker’.
Since that day, the four friends always lived a combined existence, in harmony. They traveled around the globe. Wherever they went, they went jointly. They created value and brought peace and joy in every land, every heart, they touched.
Author: Kleio B'wti
