Awesomeness In The Dark

One of my really great kindred spirit friends; which we both figured out the other day that we have known each other in this life for 10 years, gave me a book to read. We were talking about life when he decided to give me this book to me.

"I really think that this particular author will really speak to you..." George said unsure.

Here is what I read tonight and is the prologue to the book...which did speak to me, and make me laugh, at myself and at life.

"Prologue

Once upon a time there was a young man named Eugene who was desperate to find a truely holy person with whom he could study. (vaguely familiar?) One day as he was gathering wood in the forest, he spied an old man walking calmly down a mountain path. his walk was soft and steady, his half-smile certain. Eugene ran up to him.

"I'm looking for a spiritual teacher. Can you help? Studying alone on this mountain is too hard for me. Too much television. Double lattes everyday. Not enough willpower to turn off my cell phone when it is time to pray. I'm afraid I'll lose understanding that has come to me after seven years of hard spiritual work if I don't get some regular instruction."

The old man looked at Eugene and replied, "There is a great shaman, a women named Jaya. It is said that her students awaken quieckly, in less than five years. She will only accept students who arrive on foot, so you must walk to her complex. It is three hundred miles from here. I can give you a map."

Figuring that he had nothing to lose, Eugene started walking. What he expected to take three months took three years. The mountains were steep and the weather unkind. He walked through pouring rain, a tornado, three huricanes, and the biggest snowfall of the last hundred and eight years. Sometimes, only the kindness of strangers kept him going-an extra pair of mitten here, a scarf there, hot soup in a thermos.

By the end of the three-year period Eugene was strong, and happy. He could feel the earth hold him up and understood the language of most of the birds and animals. In fact, he was so okay that he was tempted to turn around and head back. But he had come far, and curiosity made him want to continue his quest.

At the gate to Jaya's complex, two attendants greeted Eugene. They instructed him to wait in the shrine room until Jaya was ready to meet with him. They told him it shouldn't take long.

Eugene waited. After twelve hours he knocked on the door of the room. A young acolyte was sitting in the hallway gaurding the door.

" I need to go to the bathroom."

"You have to stay in the shrine room."

He waited another two hours. Now Eugene really had to go. He knocked again. This time two acolytes were standing in the hall.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Just wait."

Another hour passed.

Finally Eugene aimed himself at a corner of the shrine room and peed all over it. Hearing him, the two acolytes rushed in, grabbed him by the shoulders, picked him right off the floor, and started hauling him away.

"How dare you!" shouted the bigger of the two. "This is a holy room!"

Eugene looked at him.

"You show me a place that isn't holy, and I'll pee there!"

"He stays."

It was Jaya.

The End."

Wasn't that awesome?! George was right. I wonder what the rest of this book is like...