THE THIRD PATH

Once upon a time there lived a man who had a wife who was pleasant, but not beautiful, two children who were able, but not prodigies, and a house which was comfortable, but not lavish.

There came a time when this man began to tire of the life which God had given him. Since he was devout, it never crossed his mind to ask God for more. Yet in his quiet hours of meditation, he sensed a great yearning to be someone else. Although his ration of life was no more than what an average man such as himself was entitled to, he felt jaded, and began to loose his passion for it.

In this man's village there lived a monk who everyone considered a great sage. One day the man visited the monk and presented him with his dilemma.

"You must make a journey," said the monk, "to find what it is which is missing from your life. When you are ready, I will accompany you."

"I am ready now," said the man.

Without hesitation, the monk rose and offered the man his hand. Together, they set out on a path which led from the village to the world outside. After a few hours, they reached a fork in the path.

"Which way shall we go?" Said the man.

"That is for you to decide," said the monk.

"But how can I know which of these two paths to chose?" Said the man.

"I cannot think of any advice which would be worthwhile to you." Said the monk. "Except that there are three paths to chose from. Not two."

The man considered this. Yet try as he might, he could make no sense of what the monk had said. "Three paths?" He said. "Where is the third path?"

The monk looked the man in the eye and spoke thus:

"My friend, only when you understand why you cannot see the third path will you find that which you seek. Make your choice now."

After some time, the man chose the path on the right and set his foot upon it. The monk stayed behind.

"Are you coming?" said the man.

"Not yet." said the monk. "Go and see what lies ahead."

So the man continued, alone. Now it happened that the right hand path led to a great and glorious city. Everyone who lived in that city was beautiful, and each of them were masters of arts and sciences. They welcomed the man with open arms, offered him a life of bright significance, and gave him an apartment in the city's highest tower.

The man resided in that great city for many days. At first, he felt as if the void within him had been filled. Yet gradually, with each ascension to another wonder, he began to feel as jaded as he had before. In time he came to realize that every wonder in life is diminished by the next.

So then the man set back on the path which had brought him to the city. When he reached the fork he found the monk waiting for him.

"How can you still be here?" He asked the monk.

"As I promised," said the monk, "I will accompany you on your journey, and I am a man of my word. Are you ready to chose another path?"

"I suppose I must." Said the man.

Upon saying this the man chose the left hand path. Yet as before, when he set his foot upon it, the monk stayed behind. With a sigh, the man continued on.

Now it happened that the left hand path led to a place of limitless poverty. People who lived there committed their lives to despair. They knew nothing of courage, of joy or even of God himself. At first, the man thought that place could not possibly offer him the answers he sought. Yet out of pity for those people he determined to stay.

For many days the man resided there. Each time he was presented with a reason for despair, he offered a reason for hope. Yet as time wore on, he began to realize that every joy in life comes at the price of one sorrow or another.

So the man then set back on the path which had brought him to the that place. When he reached the fork, again he found the monk, waiting for him.

"Did you not find your answer there?" Asked the monk.

"No."

"What now then?"

The man looked at the monk with scornful eyes. "I have learned nothing." He said. "And now I think you are not the sage others believe you to be."

"Perhaps that is so." Said the monk.

Together, the two returned to the village and the man resumed his life there. Eventually he grew old and began to die.

As the man lay dying, the monk visited him again.

"Peace be unto you." Said the monk.

"And unto you as well." Said the man.

"Have you forgiven me?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Asked the monk.

The man thought on this. Then, as he lay dying on his comfortable bed, his gaze wondered beyond the monk to his wife, his children and their children who were gathered around him, each of them with fathomless love in their eyes.

"Will you tell me then?" Asked the man.

To which the monk replied:

"It is because, dear friend, you chose the third path."

End