The story of what happened after a short walk.

There was once a tribe so prosperous they had stopped hunting a long time ago. They were now self-sufficient, secure in their stronghold. Their sheer size and wealth made it impossible for outsiders to stage an attack. Eventually, they hardly ventured out and lived in a comfortable world of their own making, doing what they had done for centuries.

The dominant elders put in place a strong system to ward off internal challenges. They divided the tribe’s territories within themselves, each ruling a part of it with an iron hand based on age-old traditions. This divide and rule policy gave rise to a powerful but unspoken caste system that did not allow for the ready mingling of elders with most tribe members. The elder leaders became a distant and exclusive coven who expected to be worshipped and obeyed, tolerating no dissent.

“A deck of cards is built like the purest of hierarchies, with every card a master to those below it, a lackey to those above it.”- Ely Culbertson

The wily elders surmised that no minion would leave the stronghold if given good food, shelter and clothes for repetitive tasks. This worked so well that even those who were asked to rest in their old age often returned to do menial tasks just to be within the compound. They had known nothing else all their lives and their fear of the unfamiliar was so great that they preferred to end their lives in the same place.

As times changed, even the elders could not prevent whiffs of change from seeping in. A few left the tribe left to see what was beyond the stronghold. They no longer believed that they were dependent for life on a single tribe to provide for them.

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for.” – John G. Shed

And then there were those within the stronghold who questioned their existence. Was this how life happened? Would they live and die this way, doing the same thing over and over again in return for basic needs? Was there another way to experience life? And what was the view like beyond these high walls? They were actively silenced by other minions who were terrified to even consider such thoughts. The world ‘out there’ was harsh and awful. They would starve. Best to remain here for life, they said.

One minion, considered too rebellious, was denied a place in the tribe by an elder. She did not protest or say much. She started packing her scant possessions, thinking about what to do next. ‘I’ll take a short walk,’ she said to herself. Walks made her feel better and might help clarify the next step. She walked beyond the stronghold and slept under the stars that night. The next day seemed extra bright because it had been rather dull under the thick roofs of the stronghold. She looked back and saw its faint outlines.

‘I’ll walk a bit more because I like how I am feeling,’ she thought and continued walking. That evening, she found herself in unfamiliar territory. Strange but wonderful. She walked on, allowing nothing to diminish her experience of life. And she learned more as she walked. That life was limited and that she was meant to live a joyful, exuberant existence. Not one where she felt boxed in and helpless. That the only way life opened up was when you stepped out of the familiar into the unfamiliar because change was the way of life.

“The one fact pertaining to all conditions is that they will change.” – Charles Dow

One day, while she was gazing at a mountain in awe, she felt a hand on her shoulder. An elder from her former tribe! He had been so kind to her when she had been unwell.

“How are you?” he smiled.

“What are you doing here!”

“Experiencing life, as you are.”

“Don’t you miss the tribe and ruling your territory?”

“No. It is time that more elders stepped down and allow change to happen. Besides, I wanted to experience life.”

“That makes two of us.”

“What happened to you?”

“They told me I was no longer needed.”

“Ah. And?”

“Well, I decided to take a short walk to think it out and just continued walking. And here I am, crying at a mountain.”

He laughed loudly. “I assume you are enjoying the walk too much to return?”

It was her turn to laugh.

“Great things are done when men and mountains meet; This is not done by jostling in the street.” – William Blake

“How are you doing?”

“Never felt freer or happier.”

“Isn’t it wonderful how life happens when we ask ourselves the questions that matter to us rather than allowing others to decide how our lives should be?”

And they walked on together, discussing their life journey. Just two friends no longer bound by the hierarchy of any tribe.