Fereastra spre sens

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A man was wandering in the desert on a scorching summer day. The sandstorm had covered all the roads, and he no longer had any clue where he was or where he was headed. He tried to look around, but the sand got into his eyes, and he could see nothing. Miraculously, the storm began to decrease in intensity, the wind died down, and the sea of sand unfolded around him, covering any trace that could have led him home.

„Now what do I do? Which way do I turn? Which direction can lead me back to civilization? How much distance will I have to cover? I have no water, no food. How long will I survive? Or, better yet, will I survive?” These questions gnawed at the man for a while. Then, he stood up abruptly: „Any direction is better than standing still!” he told himself.

And he set off, treading laboriously through the sea of sand. Looking around, an hourglass involuntarily came to his mind. Time was slipping away irreversibly, and the sand trickling through the hourglass sent shivers down his spine.

The sun slowly began to head toward sunset. „Soon, evening will fall over the desert. What will I do?” he thought. Heat and exhaustion made him stop. „I’ll rest a little, then I’ll set off again.”

He sat on the sand, breathed deeply, stretched his legs, and his eyes remained fixed on the ground, feeling an inner void engulf him.

A few steps in front of him, the sand began to move. „Oh no!” he said to himself. „Is the storm starting again?” But then, from the sand, a snake began to emerge. Its golden skin reflected the sun, giving the impression of moving gold.

The man felt the sweat on him begin to turn into ice, the blood in his veins the same; his pupils dilated, and all he could feel was his heart threatening to leap out of his chest.

But that wasn’t the only surprise. The snake raised its head, looked at him fixedly, opened its mouth, and… began to speak:

• You’re afraid, aren’t you?

Silence…

• You’re tormented by the doubt of whether I am a product of your imagination or if I am real. It’s simple. Try to move and you’ll find out.

Silence…

• I feel sorry for you, being lost here, but I could help you. I can show you the correct direction. It’s not much further. But I want something in exchange. What will you give me?

Silence…

• I know you’re thinking now about what you could give me just to escape. I’ll tell you, since you aren’t speaking: I want your brother’s life. I know he is a doctor and has sacrificed many of my brothers, taking their venom to use for medicine. What do you say? Do you value your life?

The man gathered his courage, moved his right hand, and brought it slowly to his chest, then to his neck where he wore a chain with a cross. He gripped the cross in his hand, opened his mouth, and with great difficulty began to say: „Our Father…”

The snake raised its head even higher and said to him:

• Do you really believe in those stories? Look, I am standing in front of you, I am real, but where is your Father? Why doesn’t He save you? Let me tell you a story: it is said that in ancient times, a father disinherited his son because he was jealous of his intelligence and beauty. Do you really believe such a Father will save you?

From pale, the man began to turn red with anger.

• How much longer must I endure your lies, snake? The desert is not a place of perdition for me. Now I have truly realized who I am and what is most important in life. You tell stories, but I will tell you the Truth: the One who took the venom of your brothers exposed the lie and brought the Truth, and with this Truth, He healed the wounds of the sons of that Father you speak of. It wasn’t jealousy that made Him disinherit you, but your madness. You say you are real, but the eyes of the mind can deceive if we go by appearances. I see the Father with my heart, which is part of His heart. If He were to deceive me, He would deceive Himself. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. And finally, my Brother, who tore away the venom of your brothers, tore away yours as well. You are powerless, snake!

Then the man stood up courageously, grabbed the snake by the neck and tail, lifted it above his head, and threw it far away.

What happened next to the man is not known, but even if he wandered through the desert further, he knew the true Way within his heart. The Truth set him free from fear, and he understood that his life is precious to the Father.