Fortress or Prison?

 Another day, another story....Another idea for a children's book?

There was a young man full of doubts about life. He started to question everything and so he embarked on a quest to collect as much information as possible about the world around him. He immersed himself in deep study and before long he had amassed a huge number of books. With the books he started to build a fortress around him. The thick walls of the fortress gave him a sense of security and superiority. Armies repeatedly tried to attack the fortress, but it was so well built that it was impenetrable and so all the attacks failed. This fact alone was evidence to him that what he had learned from the books was the truth. From the top of the fortress tower, he looked down and felt untouchable.

One day, a small child was playing with a dog outside the huge wall. "What are you doing in there?", the child asked. "I'm learning about the world and how it all works. Can't you see all my books?" 

"Sure I can see them. But if you want to learn about the world, wouldn't it be better to come out here and experience it?"

"No need. I have a vast library here that can tell me everything I need to know." 

"Oh OK. Sounds great. Does your library teach you what a rose smells like? Or what it feels like when you wash your face in the cool water of the mountain stream?" 

"Ehm...well, no...but I don't need to know those things. They are not necessary to know the secret of life.", the man proclaimed proudly. "I have already found the secret of life. Many tried to attack me and prove me wrong....they all failed. My knowledge and my logic are invincible! I dare you to try and attack me!"

The child looked thoughtful. He started to walk towards the walls, passed right through them as if they were made of smoke, walked up to the man and slapped him right in the face. The man couldn't believe his eyes. He was furious. How did this happen? How was this possible?

"It's quite simple", the child replied." Your walls only work against those who believe them to be real. Those other armies had fortresses made of the same stuff, so for them they were real. I see things differently. I see a strong light where you are standing, but this light is weakened and dimmed by those smoke walls you built around yourself. There was a time when you needed the protection of the fortress so that you could gather your strength, but now that you are strong, these walls are no longer needed. They are no longer a fortress but a self-created prison."

The man was still dumbfounded. Is it possible that there is more to life than what I thought? And what about this light he's talking about?

So he asked, "What is this light you're talking about?" 

"It's the light the illuminates the world.", the child said. 

"Can I see it too?"

"Of course you can! You are that light!" The child smiled broadly.

"Do you have a book that can teach me?", the man asked hopingly. 

"No sorry, no books....but if you step out of that fortress, you can smell that rose and you can wash your face in the cool mountain stream. Then you will know and see it for yourself."

Confronted with the new evidence, there was nothing left to do for the man than to swallow his pride, leave the safety of his fortress and venture out. Now, for the first time, he could feel the grass under his feet, he could feel the warmth of the sun on his face, he could feel the gentle breeze of the wind through his hair. A new world opened up in front of him. The objects of the world were still the same as before, but now they were illuminated by a new light. By observing the light reflected from the objects around him, he got to know his own light. 

His cheek was still a bit sore from the slap he got earlier, but it didn't hurt anymore. It was now a reminder of the time when he was a prisoner of his own making and was grateful for it. 

The man turned around and thanked the child for his help. "What's you name little boy?" 

"My name is your name. I am you. I just came to remind you of who you are." and with that, the child vanished into thin air, just like the walls of the fortress.

The man was now all alone, outside, defenseless, yet none of that worried him.

He had lost his fortress, but he gained a kingdom.

He had lost his safety, but he gained freedom.

He surrendered in order to find his light. 

The End.

😊