The Lessons Life Teaches, A Collection of Short Stories.

The Wiseman

I heard there was a Wiseman who lived on a mountaintop in Tibet. I have always sought wisdom and truth. So, I journeyed to Tibet to seek wisdom, truth, and the meaning of life. I traveled by plane across the ocean. Then by Land Rover to the remote village below the high mountains where the Wiseman lived. From there with a guide and porters, I traveled up to the mountain top. The view was spectacular. You could barely see the village below. If you put your hand out in front of you, you could hide the entire village with your thumb. To my surprise there was no throng of people at the mountaintop in search of answers from the Wiseman. Instead, there was only a rather small and insignificant house made from the local rocks. I wondered how the Wiseman lived. There was no suitable land for crops. No company here to have a job. There were no roads or car to commute with.

As we got closer to the stone house, the guide and porters stopped. The guide said that they would wait here. That I must complete my journey alone. The guide then gave me a box of supplies to give the Wiseman as a gift. I thanked the guide and asked him if there were many people who came here in search of wisdom. The guide said, "No, very few. Most people are in search of other things like money or happiness, or pleasure. You cannot find those answers here." I asked the guide what I should do. "Do I knock on the door before I go in the house? Do I need to request permission from someone to enter or what?" He replied simply, "No. He has been expecting you." I then walked up to the dwelling with the box full of supplies and knocked on the weathered wooden door. The knocking opened the door as there was no latch or lock and the hinges were only thin straps of leather.

I entered the one room house to see an ancient man seated by himself in front of a small fire in the fireplace. The old man was agile for his advanced age. He stood up and extended both arms toward me in a welcoming stance. He said, "Come in my son. I have been expecting you." I said we brought a box of supplies. I was careful to say "we" instead of "I" so I wouldn't feel guilty not including the guide. He said thank you. "Please set it on the table." Then he continued, "It is good to see you. Would you care for some tea? I just made it on the fire when I heard you coming up the trail." Then he said "I also have some vegetable soup for our lunch. It still needs a little more time to cook." As he was pouring the tea for us, I asked how does he live on a mountaintop? "Do you hunt for your food?" He said "Oh no. I don't believe it is right to kill animals." He said he lived a frugal life. That his needs were small. That the villagers also shared some of their crops with him. He said he got his water from a small spring not far from his home and he tended a small garden in the summer partway down the mountain. I asked if he had many visitors like me. Like the guide, he said "No – very few. Not many people come here to listen to an old man, in tattered clothing, living in a small rock hovel. Most want to hear the advice of the rich man in a big mansion, to learn how they can become rich also." As we were sipping tea by the fireplace, I asked did he ever wish to be wealthy. He chuckled and said, "No. I have all I need here. You need water to drink, shelter and a little fire to keep warm and safe from the elements. A garden for some food and some kind friends to visit with and help you in your times of need." I asked, "How do to earn money?" He said, "I have no need of money. I built my own house. It is humble but I have no house payment. No utilities so no utility bills. No car – so no car payment. No credit cards or bills at all. So, you see I really don't have any need for money. Besides, what other species use money?" I asked, "Do you ever wish for those things?" He replied, "No, No. Then they become the master and I their slave."

Time passed quickly. The conversation was as enjoyable as the soup made with fresh spring water and garden-fresh vegetables. Finally, he asked, "Why did you come all this way to see me?" I came to the point and said that I was in search of truth, wisdom, and the meaning of life. "You have already spoken to me of many truthful and meaningful things. But not, the meaning of life. Why are we here? Is there a correct religion to believe in?" "Well," the Wiseman said, "Those are some pretty serious questions. Questions I have thought about many times in my life. I don't know that I have the answers you seek. That is the truth. I suppose I am wise enough to admit that I don't have all the answers. I know that I did not ask to be born. I know that I exist. I have studied the Bible, the Torah, Koran, Hinduism, and Buddhism. I have even had two Mormon missionaries come and stay with me for a while. They were very nice. They collected almost a year's worth of firewood for me."

So, continued the Wiseman, "What is the purpose or meaning of life for a bee?" I replied, "I suppose the bee gathers pollen and pollinates flowers to make the plants fertile and they also make honey." He listened attentively and asked, "What if a single bee decides not to gather pollen?" I replied, "I don't know. I suppose the bee would die." In response he said, "What if all the bees stopped gathering pollen?" I thought about it for a moment and said, "The bees would die, and a lot of trees, plants and crops wouldn't get pollinated. I'm not sure life on our planet would be the same." He answered, "So, you are saying that for an individual bee there is not much purpose but as a whole that bees are very necessary." I agreed. He then asked, "How about the birds?" I replied, "I guess the same. They spread seeds and assist with the spread of plant life." He moved onward and asked, "What about our cousins, the monkeys, baboons, gibbons and gorillas? What is their purpose?" "I don't know." Was my first reply. Then, "I suppose the world would be little different if there were no monkeys." "Well," he said, "What about humans? Would the world better or worse if there were no humans?" I felt that I was being led down a path but answered "I suppose the earth would be better off if there were no humans. The bees would not be poisoned with our pesticides and the bird population would be much greater if we did not destroy their habitat and kill them." He commented "I believe you are right." Humans seem to have no purpose. If fact in large numbers they are a bane to the earth's environment and the other species whom we share this planet with. So, I suppose we have no meaning. The best we can do is somehow to control and reduce our impact on the planet. To return to the days when we lived in harmony with nature instead of dominating and destroying it. I think that should be our purpose in life. I believe we are doing a terrible job at that. Even the Bible says we should be stewards. Instead, we have become destroyers. The same goes for how we treat one another. I feel we should be kind and helpful to one another instead of engaging in terrible wars and even just selfish and self-centered attitudes." With that the Wiseman said, "I enjoyed your company and gifts. But the time is growing late, and I am beginning to get weary. Perhaps we can continue further on your next visit. I will look forward to it."

With that I felt that I had been very politely dismissed. I said my goodbyes and thanked him for his time and sharing his wisdom and truths with me. When I returned to the guide and we began our decent down the mountain, he asked how my visit had gone. I walked in silence for a good way collecting my thoughts about the guides question and my reply. Finally, I said, "He is truly wise. I still have many questions. I look forward to coming back one day. But as for now, I think I'll start by trying to live more in harmony with nature and be kinder and more respectful to others." The guide replied, "That sounds very wise."