‘We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.’
(T.S.Eliot)
There’s an old Eastern story: Long ago, four senior gods met to decide where to hide the greatest secret of life. They knew they needed a safe place because if humans ever found it they couldn’t be trusted to use it constructively.
The first god suggested hiding it at the top of a high mountain, but they soon realised that humans would eventually climb to the top and find it.
The second suggested that the bottom of the deepest ocean would be better, but agreed with the others that humans would eventually explore the depths too.
The third suggested the centre of the Earth, but they realised that humans would one day dig deep enough to find it.
Finally, the wisest spoke. ‘There’s only one place to hide the great secret of the universe – within the human heart. They’ll never think of looking for it there.’
The secret of life cannot be found in holy books for it lies within.
©David Lawrence Preston, 23.1.2017
Follow me on Facebook and Twitter@David_L_Preston
How to Books, 2007