The current of the river swept silently over them all -
young and old, rich and poor, good and evil,
the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly
to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom,
for clinging was their way of life,
and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, "I am tired of clinging.
Though I cannot see it with my eyes,
I trust that the current knows where it is going.
I shall let go, and let it take me where it will.
Clinging, I shall die of boredom."

The other creatures laughed and said,
"Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you
tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks,
and you will die quicker than boredom!"

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go,
and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks.

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again,
the current lifted him free from the bottom,
and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried,
"See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies!
See the Messiah, come to save us all!"

And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more Messiah than you.
The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go.
Our true work is this voyage, this adventure."

"Of course, Master!" cried the many.
"It should be pleasure for him to suffer the tortures of hell itself, should God ask it!"

"No matter what those tortures, nor how difficult the task?"

"Honor to be hanged, glory to be nailed to a tree and burned,
if so be that God has asked," said they.

"And what would you do," the Master said unto the multitude,
"if God spoke directly to your face and said,
'I command that you be happy in the world, as long as you live.'
What would you do then?"

'Learning is finding out what you already know.
Doing is demonstrating that you know it.
Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you.'

'You teach best what you most need to learn.'

'Your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet
than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years.'

'Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness.
Listen to it carefully.'

'The original sin is to limit the Is.
Don't'

'You are led through you lifetime by the inner learning creature,
the playful spiritual being that is your real self.
Don't turn away from possible futures
before you're certain you don't have anything to learn from them.
You're always free to change your mind and choose a different future,
or a different past.'

'The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy.
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.'

'Perspective - Use it or Lose it!'

'You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true.
You may have to work for it, however.'

'In order to live freely and happily you must sacrifice boredom.
It is not always an easy sacrifice.'