The Traveler

I traveled long and far, beyond Augustine, beyond the gardens of Valearda, before they even had those names.

Once I met an old man sitting by the road, he was watching the world pass by with no hurry in his heart. And when I say he was old I mean he was as old as the mountains, as old as the sunset, as old as my soul.

He looked at me and smiled, told me to sit down and share his pipe. “I don’t smoke” I said. Then he shrugged and told me to listen to his tale.

“I saw a man walk by in a rush, his pace was hasty and his heart filled with fear, I asked him where was he going so fast. He said he was going to his future, and he did not have time to stop and talk. As he sped on down the road I asked him where he came from, he turned around a shouted he didn’t know”.

The old man looked at me again, and lit his pipe, and the swirling smoke hid his face for just a second, then he continued.

“A second traveler came by, his pace slow and his heart filled with doubt, and he asked me if I knew where does this road go. I told him it depended on him. He explained that he left home a long time ago but didn’t know why, and He wasn’t sure if he should go back. He stayed with me until nightfall and then went away, I don’t know in which direction”

The old man puffed his pipe and the smoke turned green, he looked at me once again and said “Today you have come by, and your pace is calm and your heart is quiet. Do you know where are you going?”.

I thought about it for a second. I told the old man, I said “I’m going to wherever this road takes me”. And a smile came to his face, he spoke once more and asked. “Do you know where you come from?”.

It was my turn to smile. I had asked that question myself before, so the answer was easy. I said “I know where I come from, I do. But I don’t care, I don’t need to go back”.

The old man put his pipe aside and coughed a bit, and then he dipped into his pocket and took out a silver coin. He gave it to me and said “We shall meet again at the place where there’s no pain. In the meantime, here’s everything I have. Keep it safe. Pass it on”

And I took the coin and continued my journey, and it’s brought me here on this fine day. So tell me, my good friend, do you know where are you going?