The Crossroad

Once upon a time there was a crossroad...

The crossroad had lived since the dawn of the first creatures, and throughout its existence, a great number of people had come to it and chosen one of the four paths.

The crossroad observed with curiosity the choice and action of each who came to it. Everyone's decision making was different.

Some would come rushing along the first path, only to trip at the crossroad and fall down the lower path towards pain and sorrow. Others would, without hesitation, only desiring safety and predictability, chose to take the middle path, that, like a lazy river wound peacefully through the idyllic hills. Occasionally, one or two would reach the crossroad, look back, and return down the path to their misty past. Many would stop at the crossroads and remain there, torn between the middle path and the high path, the path that led to the truest desires of their hearts. Most of those who stopped would eventually resign themselves to the middle path, and walk off through the hills, frequently glancing back at the crossroad, regret echoing through their entire beings.

Every once in a while, a soul would come to the crossroads, determination, hope, passion and joy radiating from their very beings. These the crossroad would watch with interest, for they would not even see the lower and middle paths. For them, fiercely, courageously purposed, the only path existing was that of their absolute dreams, of the experiences that would answer the calls of their heart. Step by step they chose the highest path, never once looking back. These the crossroad named "infinite" for they were never touched by the limits existing in the minds of others. Embracing the flow of choosing their truest passion, their obstacles morphed first into challenges, then into opportunities, then into moments of freedom as they soared on the joy of embracing each impossible.

Through storms and sunshine, day and night, moment after moment, the crossroad observed the choices of people, hesitant or surefooted, and wondered why so few chose the high path. Yes, the path was steeper, the climb was challenging, yet the crossroad thought, the soul-changing view would steal their breath away long before the effort of the climb. And yes, some who chose the higher path soared there on their own strength, yet there were many more who pulled each other along, choosing to walk as a group, inspiring and bonding together.

The crossroad was often at a loss as to explain where the difficulty lay in the high path. One day, a particularly hesitant soul came to the crossroad. In her heart, she desperately wished to live simply on a small island and spend her days gardening, for plants were her calling.

Yet she believed this life would be impossible. For was she not burdened with the expectations of her family, who had pushed for her education?

Did she not owe it to them to be immensely successful?

To fulfil the academic expectations of her teachers and study the most difficult subjects possible?

How would she even survive on the island when she had lived a cushioned life?

She'd better just follow the path set out for her.

Thinking this, she began to move towards the middle path, heavy with sorrow and discontent. Then the crossroad did something it had never chosen to do before.

It spoke.

"Why, beautiful soul, do you ignore the callings of your own heart? Why do you choose fear over the joy you know you would feel in living your dream? I see your core and you, as all souls are, are blessed with the strength to experience the highest path, so why do you pick the middle, when it brings you such sorrow?"

Glancing up in shock, the woman gazed upon the crossroad. The doubt of her heart echoed on her face as she pondered its words. She turned from middle to high and back again. Then a beam of sunlight poured onto the higher path and something shifted in her face. Determination began to echo from every corner of her being and she changed her mind. Each footstep becoming stronger and stronger, she turned to the high path and began to walk it. As she walked, her soul slowly became unburdened and light, glowing with happiness in its fulfilment. Before disappearing from sight, she turned back just once to the crossroad.

"Thank you"