Nothing, A Fable

Down on his luck and desperate, a man journeyed to the farthest corner of the globe in search of advice from the Wise Man in the Hall of Wisdom. He had heard that the Wise Man had the key to a portal to a perfect world where he didn't have to struggle with the daily grind of life and all its failures.

The man had known only hardship and pain with a few moments of inspiration and joy sprinkled in it. The joys were the greatest moments of his life, the downtrodden moments always brought him to a moment of darkness that sometimes felt like he couldn't escape.

Therefore, any rumor or hint for a better life propelled him to find this man…and possibly find some hope.

He entered the hall and was immediately met by the Wise Man.

“What is it you seek?” the Wise Man asked.

“I want a new life in a new place, with no conflicts, pain, sorrow or hardship.” the man stated.

“Ah,” the Wise Man responded. “You seek a world in which there are no conflicts, no pain, no sorrow, and no hardship.”

“Yes,” the man said, excited and relieved that someone understood the trials and tribulations of his quest.

The Wise Man pointed to a door at the end of a corridor.

His new life was behind that door, and he wasn’t going to waste any more time

“There,” he said, “that’s the portal to the world of no conflicts, pain, sorrow or hardship. That door will lead you to that perfect world you seek.”

Without any hesitation, the man rushed down the hall. His new life was behind that door, and he wasn’t going to waste any more time.

He pushed the door open, expecting to see a glimmering and glowing world of pure happiness and delight.

That’s not what greeted him. Instead, he was confronted by …nothing.

The excitement within deflated. This place had no up and down; it lacked clashes of color or sounds. Everything was smoothed out with a pallor that neither excited or worried him. It was dull, bland and lacked edges or corners.

“What is this?” he finally said, distraught.

“You wanted a world where there were no conflicts, no pain, no sorrows or hardship,” The Wise Man answered. “Well, such a world exists, but it also has no emotions and victories and fun. It’s just there. Nothing to work for; nothing to strive or to bring yourself up from your own failings. No goals. No life.”

The man was still confused: “But I just wanted a world where I didn’t struggle.”

“Then that’s your world. Nothing to strive for, and nothing to help you find happiness and success because there’s no need. Everything in that world you want will be the same.”

It’s just there. Nothing to work for; nothing to strive or to bring yourself up from your own failings.

The man stared for a long time at the void on the other side of the door.

“Or,” the Wise Man finally said, “you can find the world you want by learning from the struggles and make things better for yourself. That way, when you succeed and accomplish through determination and will, you find happiness.”

The man ruminated for a moment and then closed the door to that world.

The Wise Man smiled: “You’ve chosen wisely.”

Suddenly, the man started to see all the colors of the world he once despised and came to realize it wasn't such a bad world after all.