He stood looking out from the deck, steaming coffee in hand. There was no more to see than a sea of fog, a blanket that covered the face of the world. whether the world was hiding its true self or too fearful to look out at the state it had created he could not answer. All he knew was things were a mess and the coffee tasted good. The steam felt warm on his chin even as the cold crept into his toes.
He reviewed the situation in his mind and ran through all the connections that spider-webbed into this point. The confusion, the crime, the lawlessness, the pain and suffering experienced by the many. It went so wrong so fast. Even as the echoes of the cries of victory and freedom reverberated off the walls of authority, the rot was creeping in and as nobody watched, it again took hold.
This is the problem with obtaining freedom he thought, if no one knows how to act free, they act on what they know. It was inevitable that what they had learned, the powers that influenced them in the past would direct actions in the future. Maybe it is a cycle without end, no possibility to break the loop as humanity is not fashioned to do so, their weakness of wheel is not strong enough to break the tracks and find a new path, its own path.
Life has become one of steady direction and even when a community thinks they are changing the course, they can rarely hold the tack for long before they float back towards the only path they have ever been on, the way of average based on impossibly high and narrow peaks, and very broad and deep valleys. There were better ways of course but, convincing the average to act for liberty was a Herculean effort when they already believed they were free.
The coffee was cooling fast and he swilled it once and lifted the edge to his lip to take in the last of its dark murkiness until it was drained. He looked into the empty cup and watched as a tiny bubble at the burst. Now, it was empty, the bottom was in, it was finally time to refill.
A warm hand slid into his own and they stood silently looking into the fog until the right moment arrived. "Can you see it?", she asked and he replied he could and asked the same in return.
"Of course, the vision is mine. Now come, they are gathered."
"Do you think they will see?"
"Some may, most will not, some will turn away in fear. Whatever the result we must do what we can."
"There is no other way."
"No other way."
Who awaited, who had gathered, who was willing to lend an ear was yet to be seen. The invitation had been open, shareable, available to all to discuss other ways. Not many had replied but, it does not take many to start the change of the world just one to do it right. His time was gone it was not to be him but now, it was time for his daughter to try, perhaps she would be the one. Hand in hand they turned their backs on the fog and the nothingness it contained.
She carried his aged weight on her shoulder as they walked and wondered if he would ever see free.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
A leader, not for personal ambition, but for a vision. Compelled regardless of outcome. A heavy weight.
Not many of these found in today's world.
They can do a lot of good or harm but, tey seem to be required since the majority will not move without being told a direction.
Too true. Our need to be lead makes it easy for those with a personal agenda to rise to positions of power. "Tell me what I want to hear, you get my vote."
This really got me...
Freedom comes with responsibility, but freedom does not breed responsibility. Responsibility is sth that has to do with applying conscious efforts.
When really free, the consequences of action often come with pain. Enough pain, people tend to pay attention and take responsibility.
But too much pain and they rush back to the last place of comfort which in most cases is where they had been held in chains.
The Israelites cursed Moses for taking them away from Egypt where they were slaves, when they faced hardship in the wilderness.
It is human nature to complain, to find fault, to paint the past with a gold tinted brush. Freedom comes at a price but are they willing to pay the price?
Few are willing.
Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. I hope your birthday is going on well, do have a blast!
Wow. Very well written. Looking at the situation from the perspective of the Leader, this is his/her mission. A leader leads. He/she puts out the message and some will come. Then it is his, and now her, responsibility to raise the level of their followers to their own level. And that is the hard part, IMO.
A leader can work on the level of collective consciousness and change the society as a whole. Or work on the level of the individual and break the chain of wrong or embedded thinking and behavior, one at a time. Either way it is the followers of a gifted, enlightened leader who benefit the most as their old, narrow ways are raised up to a higher level.
I'm looking forward to a follow-up of your story.
After reading your writing, i like your one concept and that is :Great writing skill bro @tarazkp..
Very nice photos👍
the presence of leaders is not for the established people as is common today we find in various parts of the world. most leaders oppose the weak, whereas ideally leaders defend the weak
Beautiful
Good post, nice photo !
Is this meant to be a one-off or should I expect a continuation? Cos I definitely would 3ant to read more. That was really brilliant and I'm anxious to know what's brewing?