Lawrenz Lano

Lawrenz Lano (Author)

Lawrenz Lano, Grey Legacy, Gaia Force, Le monde de Lolo

The One-Dimensional Man

Chapter 1 - The Father

The man is travelling. Up ahead in the distance is his destination. Where else would it be? You can only go forward or backward in the world but going backward was useless. He had already seen what was back there. He was on a quest to see what was up ahead, always ahead.

He had started like everyone else, living his one-dimensional life; eating, loving, mating. It was a good life. A fulfilling life. But unlike the others, he needed more. His mind was asking questions for which he had no answers. His peers did not understand his obsession and hardly cared. Their one-dimensional life was all that mattered. If this individual wanted to leave the comforts of life for an uncertain fate, they would not interfere.

And so, the man travelled alone. A first, his gaze was at his feet. Every new pebble, rock, blade of grass was a marvel to behold. No one had seen these things before, it was an exhilarating feeling. But as time went by, his gazed settled further down the path and allowed him to see more of his world. Much of what he saw he could not explain, but still further ahead he forged.

He does not know how long he had been travelling when something suddenly took him aback. A feeling he hadn’t had for a long time resurfaced…familiarity. From the time he had started his journey, every thing he had seen had been new to him, but today things looked familiar. He continued on ahead and the more he continued the more familiar things became. And then, there it was. The home he had left long ago was up ahead.

How can that be? He had left it so far behind how could it now be ahead of him? He continued on ahead and sure enough his people were still there. Many had aged, as surely as he, he surmised. They greeted him as if he had never left. He tried to tell them of his journey but their one-dimensional mind could not grasp his meaning. As far as they were concerned he had never left. He explained to them that he went on ahead oh so long ago and that after all that time he found himself here again.

“You must have walked back since you are here. There is only forward or backward.” They replied.

He tried to explain that he had never walked back only ahead. He even asked them to explain his absence for all this time but all they would say is; “You were not here and now you are”. That was all that their one-dimensional mind could grasp. "There is only forward and backward" and "you are either here or you are not". This thinking was so limiting to him. Then he remembered that he had been like them long ago. But he had seen much since then and knew things were not so simple. He had tried to answer many of his questions but had resulted in raising new ones.

He tried to spend some time with these one-dimensional people but soon realized that their limited thinking annoyed him. He could not teach them what he wanted to because their minds could not grasp it. He even asked them to join him on his journey but none were foolish enough to leave the security of their one-dimensional life. And so, he went on ahead alone.

This new discovery, that what he had left behind was now in front of him baffled him. Could this be a fluke? Surely everything he had seen could not repeat itself. This question must be answered. So with every step he took, he took notes about the details of his surroundings. Perhaps things seem to repeat themselves but were slightly different. His home after all had not been exactly as he had left it. The people had aged and some were gone, dead most likely. This slight hope gave him renewed vigour.

After a time he noticed the sight of his home in the distance. It was up ahead again. Why!?

It was his home, no doubt about it. The scratches he had made on the wall the last time he had been there were present. The people had changed again. Many were gone and many new faces were to be seen too, but it was his home nonetheless.

And suddenly it dawned on him,the truth about the world. The world repeats itself. That is the only explanation. I know that I never went backward and so logically I must have reached the boundaries of my world and entered an identical one. Perhaps this ensures that we will never be lost. If we think we are, we must go on and things will be made right. I must give a name to this phenomenon. I will call it Universe. The Universe is an endless line of identical worlds.

And so the man continued to perfect his knowledge. Over time, he travelled through many more worlds and his notes showed him the truth. Everything repeated itself. He even went as far as measure the distance between worlds by counting how many steps he travelled each journey.

In time, he concluded that his initial premise was indeed the truth. The universe was an infinite line, which repeated itself. He was happy. To him, this one-dimensional universe now made sense.

When he reached his home, how many worlds away from his original he could not remember, he decided that his days of travelling would end. It was time to settle down and raise a family. Now that he had learned the secret of the universe he needed to teach it but this one-dimensional people would never grasp the concept. Perhaps if he had a child and started teaching him early he may have better luck.

Chapter 2 - The Son

His son proved to be quite inquisitive and eager to learn and so the father rejoiced in being able to bequeath his knowledge to someone. And his son learned well and all the questions he asked, the father answered. His son would often talk about what he had learned to his mother. Alas, she could not grasp this thinking like all these one-dimensional folk, so would smile at him to please him as she had smiled to the man when he had tried to teach her.

The son had tried to tell the other folks about what his father had taught him but they only thought that the son was as foolish as his father, only the other children seemed to want to hear him. Their one-dimensional minds seemed to want to understand even though most did not, but it warmed the father’s heart to see that there was hope for these people.

When the son was no longer a child, the father told him that he had no more to teach him and so now, decided it was time for the son to experience the world as the father had. They were to go on a journey together.

The son was eager but apprehensive at he same time. He had never left his mother before so asked her to join them but she refused. The father explained that his mother could not come because she would not understand what she was experiencing. Her one-dimensional thinking would hinder that. He comforted his son by telling him he would see his mother again when they reached the next world. He told his son not to worry about his mother. Her one-dimensional mind would not allow her to miss him. “You were not here and now you are” is all she would feel.

And so the father and his son started their journey. Forward they went. And as they travelled the son finally saw all the things his father had. Things he had only seen through the words of his father were now taking form before his eyes. It was truly magnificent. His father had been right things must be experienced.

The journey continued until finally the son started experiencing familiarity.

“It’s happening Father, isn’t it? We’ve crossed over?”

“Who can say when we crossed over, my son? Where exactly one world starts and one ends is a matter of what I call perspective, but to answer your question, from your point of view yes, you are back where you started.”

“Then I will see Mother again?” The son asked eagerly.

“You will, but be warned, she will have not realized you’ve been gone so long, to her it will be as if you’ve just went out and came back in.”

The son hurried his pace. His father was right, people he saw acted as though he had always been there. Finally he reached his home and called for his mother. How he missed her he hadn’t realized how much until now.

He looked for her but she was nowhere to be found. He asked a town folk where his mother was.

The town folk looked at him frowning. “Are you still playing games, boy? She’s right there!” He pointed. And so she was. Her name was carved on the tombstone of a freshly dug grave. The tears erupted from his face and he wept. He had been gone too long and his mother had not been able to wait for his return. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was his father’s and he too wept.

The son broke the silence. “I must go back!”

The father looked at him quizzically. “What do you mean?”

“You heard me right. I must go backward!”

“Backward? But to what end?” the father inquired.

“She may still live in the other world.”

“She does not! I know it is hard to understand but that is the way of the universe. The universe repeats itself exactly. I know, I have seen it happen many times.”

“Have you really, father? Tell me, how many times did you travel backward?”

The man stared at his son, bemused that he would ask that question. “Now why would I ever have done that? What would have been the point? I just came from backward I know what is there.”

“At first, I can understand. But later, when you realized that the world constantly repeated itself. Why did you never try the backward road? You said it yourself, you know what is forward. You could have gone backward once but you never did. Why?”

The father stood silent. The son pressed on. “If you are so convinced of this truth you taught me, why did you never try?”

“It never occurred to me. From the time I set out on this quest the thought never crossed my mind. I suppose that in this case I was as one-dimensional as everyone else.”

“I need to know father. I need to know if there is a chance that my mother is still alive. I must go backward.”

“Are you sure, my son?”

“As sure as when you decided to go forward.”

The father stared at his son. He had become quite a man. It made the father proud. His son had exceeded all of his expectations. He had taught his son to open his mind and open it he had. So much that for the first time, he had posed a question that had brought doubts to the father. The father had faith that his knowledge of the universe was correct. But his son was right about one thing; he had never tried the backward path.

It was unlikely that it would change anything but it was true that he had never truly verified the fact. It was pure conjecture on his part. Conjecture brought on by his forward experiences. But could travelling the backward path change things? The only time he had really travelled it was before his journey. When he was as one-dimensional in his thinking as the rest of the people, he had travelled forward and backward as far as was safe, never straying too far. He doesn't recall ever witnessing any changes.

He smiled at his son. “I know that I am right about the universe. My faith is unshaken. However, I understand that you are not a child anymore and that you must choose how you will live your life. If you choose the backward path then so be it.

“Thank you, father. But I would like you to take it with me.”

“My days of travelling are done, my son. Yours await. I am getting far in age. Go with my blessing I will wait for you here. You will find yourself here again.”

Before leaving, the son returned to his mother’s grave. “I will take the backward path mother. And I will find you again.”

The father watched with sadness as his son headed down the backward path and vanished in the distance. He headed back to the house. He had walked the path many times and knew the time it took to travel it. He would wait for his son’s return.

As he made his journey down the backward path it dawned on him that his father would probably have felt disconcerted had he joined him. He had travelled the forward path so often that he knew what to expect ahead. But now, ahead was different. He recognized everything he saw but the order in which he saw things was wrong. When he had first travelled the path, his father had pointed at the landmark he had just passed and told him that home was a bit further ahead. But it was not the case now. He had just stated his journey; home was not a bit ahead.

How can things seem so different and yet so familiar? Maybe his father was wrong. Perhaps since all things seem to present themselves in a different order once he reaches home things will be different too and his mother still alive. For once in his life, he hoped that his father was wrong. The thought urged him onward.

As his journey progressed, he learned something new. He decided to stop a moment. He then started down the forward path for a few steps. Odd he thought. He headed back down the backward path a few steps and passed a stone. The stone was facing his right foot. He headed down the forward path again but now the stone faced his left foot.

He tried with many objects and saw that it was consistent. “So,” he thought, “travelling the path in one direction not only changes the order of things but their location as well.” Well father will be pleased to learn something new when I see him next. Maybe I will learn more new things.

But alas, besides the order and direction of things the son did not see anything new for a long time and one fateful day, something unexplained happened.

He caught something out the corner of his eye. At first, he could not tell what it was. It suddenly disappeared from sight. He continued onward but could not see the thing again. He decided to head up the forward path. Maybe it would be visible from there. He focused and after a few moments spotted the thing again. “What is that?” He thought.

He headed towards it and again it vanished in the corner of his eye. He reversed path and there it was again. He tried to focus on the thing and realized it was a tree. He headed towards it again, but it vanished once more. He tried the experiment many times but always with the same result.

His father had never mentioned a vanishing tree before and he had been very thorough in his teachings. But nonetheless, here it was! Finding no answer to his query, he resumed his trek. His mind however, would not rest. How can something disappear? Things don’t disappear. Or do they?

When you close your eyes everything vanishes. When you travel the forward path the backward path disappears in a way. It only reappears when you face it. But I was not closing my eyes and I was facing the tree but it still disappeared. So what happened? The answer would have to wait. He had to save his mother. That was his purpose at the moment. Perhaps with his father’s help he can figure out what that phenomenon was. He hurried onward.

It was unmistakable, he was approaching home. He was moving towards what had been to him, long ago, the forward path to his home. But he was travelling it from the backward path. His house was in sight he hurried towards it. He suddenly stopped.

Ahead, the sight he dreaded to see greeted him. His mother’s grave. He fell to his knees sobbing. “Why?” He cried. “Why is the universe so cruel?”

He had travelled the entire world to save her but all in vain. He had never felt such sorrow and pain. “What is the point to feel such pain?” He wanted to die. To end it all. For once he envied the other folks living their one-dimensional lives. “You were here and now you are not”. Such a simple one-dimensional concept. But a concept he could no longer relate to.

He had seen too much to go back to being so one-dimensional. He had changed and now could feel deeper than anyone. Except for his father. He had experienced so much more than his son. The death of his wife must affect him probably even more. So the son wiped his tears. He had no mother but he still had a father he hoped. What if the same thing that happened to his mother happened to his father? No, don’t think such thoughts.

In the living room, his father was resting. He looked content but the years had finally caught up with him and he looked old. “Father,” he called.

The man awakened abruptly. His eyes slowly focused and joy filled his face. “Is that really you son? You've finally returned.”

“Yes father, I have.”

“I am happy to see you, son. I've missed you”

“You were right. I was foolish to have doubted you. I shouldn't have gone and left you behind. Mother isn't back. The world repeats itself.”

The father embraced his son. “You did the right thing, son. I do not blame you. By doing as you did, you have made me very proud. I could not ask for a better son. I have raised you to question the universe and not take things for granted. Where would we be today if I had taken everyone’s word not to travel the forward path? We’d be living truly one-dimensional lives.”

“Perhaps, but the pain would not exist. ”

“Maybe, but if pain is the price we must pay to understand, then we must accept it for it too is part of the universe. The universe has changed us and we cannot go back.”

“I suppose you’re right father.”

“Of course I am. Oh one thing puzzles me. I have travelled the path many times and I know how long it takes to travel it, but you have arrived much sooner than I anticipated. A lot sooner I may add. How can this be? The backward path cannot be shorter I’d stake my life on that.”

“It isn't father, I just ran, that’s all.”

“Ran? What a strange concept. I often see kids run about but I never thought that there was any real use for it. So it shortens distances who would have guessed?”

“Aside from your shortened journey, anything new to report?”

“There are a few things, father. Things that even you may not be aware of.”

“Oh really?” the father giggled in anticipation. “Like what?”

“Did you know that things appear in a different order on the backwards path? Or that by switching from the forwards path to the backwards path objects seem to change place? And how about the disappearing tree?”

“Disappearing tree? Oh do tell son.”

Chapter 3 - The Backward Path

The father listened as his son related the details of his journey. As he listened, he took pride in the fact that his son had not just taken the things he saw at face value. The son had tried to make sense of things by trying various experiments to try to understand the mystery that faced him.

He had come to the conclusion that when travelling the backward path objects were seen in a different order or place because of what his father had termed "perspective". The objects were not changing place, he was. The father agreed with this conclusion. The only thing none of them could explain was the disappearing tree; an object that can be glimpsed but would vanish before being reached.

“What can this possibly mean father?”

“Only one thing; that I have been a fool. I thought that I had solved the secret of the universe but you have just shown me that there are things I did not know.”

“And that there may still be more things that need to be understood?” the son added.

“Yes, and that the universe as I have come to know it may be even more complex than we’d imagined.”

“Then we will find the answers together father.”

“Nothing would please me more son, alas, my days of travelling are over. I am content to live the rest of my days with the knowledge that my discoveries will live on through you as well as others.”

”Others?” the son asked.

“Yes,” the father smiled. “Something wonderful is happening. I have noticed that everyday more and more of the younger folks have started to venture further down the paths. They always come back rather quickly but they are trying to venture ahead. This is my legacy. Our legacy. Our teachings are beginning to spread among the young ones. The people’s minds are beginning to become less one-dimensional.”

“That is extraordinary, father but hardly unexpected.”

“Why do you say that? I’m astonished to see this one-dimensional people capable of grasping anything.”

“But we are them father. We are no different it is just that we were the first. You have opened a door for us and in time those who see it will come to understand that an opened door must lead somewhere.”

“Just as a mystery must be explained.” The father continued. “And you my son have unlocked one. This vanishing tree phenomenon must be understood. Your journey is about to begin.”

“You’re right. My journey will begin, but not today. We will spend some time together first.”

For the most part father and son spent their time talking, laughing and reminiscing and even at times just being plainly one-dimensional. But the son could not bring himself to leave for he noticed his father’s health worsening. He knew that his father would be joining his mother shortly and so the son waited.

He did make preparations for his eventual journey. He took the notes his father had compiled throughout his travel. They would surely be handy. He looked at the map his father had drawn of the universe. It was a world connected to a world connected to a world making up an infinite line. There were markers too, giving you an idea of how far you had travelled. There were numbers showing distances and times of travel. He knew that he could travel much faster than his father had. He loved running. A journey would still be long but would take half the time it took his father. The world was still a big place.

And then the time came. His father closed his eyes for the last time. He was laid to rest by his wife’s side. The son had no more reasons to stay. He would not miss these people and he knew they would not miss him. “You were here and now you are not” would most likely be their response if they even noticed his absence.

His journey was about to begin. His father had asked him which path he would take. He knew that either path would do. He had arrived home by the forward path even though to him he had been travelling the backward path. This was the path on which he had found the vanishing tree. So taking the forward path now should make sense but his father had travelled the forward path all his life and never notice this tree before? Maybe this tree can only be seen when travelling the backward path. He made his way to the backward path.

It felt good to be travelling again. As he looked at the backward path unfolding before him he was happy to see that even though he had travelled this road once before, things were still new to him and everything still felt like a new discovery. His journey would not be dull. It would still be some time before he reached the point where he had seen this tree. He had committed the spot to memory and he would not miss it when he got there.

Then, something caught his eye in the distance. He was sure that it had not been there before. What other wondrous mysteries did this path offer?

He rushed ahead and as he approached the object, he noticed that it was someone. Someone? Here on the path?

The person was sitting down, his head in his hands. He was shaking. The son came closer and touched him on the shoulder. At the touch, the person let out a whimper.

“Are you all right?” the son asked him. The stranger looked at him. The son recognized him. It was one of the kids he had grown up with. One of the kids who had marvelled at the stories he had told them about the universe.

His father was right, some did venture on the path and this one had ventured quite far.

Slowly recognition settled on the young man’s face. “You are here?” He asked.

“Yes.” The son replied.

“But you were not.”

“No, I was not here but now I am. What are you doing so far from home?” The son asked.

“I do not understand.” The young man cried.

“What don’t you understand?”

“Everything.” He replied. ”Everything.” He pointed “That and that and that.”

“The son looked at the objects the man had pointed to. “You mean the rock, the stone and the bush?”

The young man stopped crying. “Is that what they are? I see but do not understand. Nothing makes sense.”

The young man was obviously distraught. “Do you wish to return home?” the son offered.

“Yes but I do not know the way.” The young man pleaded.

The son was confused. The young man had had no problem walking all the way here. Why did he suddenly feel so lost? The objects ahead of him were no different from those he had passed on his way here. Unless, the problem was not what he saw but what his mind saw.

The young man had travelled quite far, trying to make sense of what he was experiencing for the first time. Maybe he had seen too much too soon and his mind could not follow. His mind had stopped trying to make sense of all these new experiences.

But why didn’t this also happen to me on my first trek? Did father’s teachings prepare me for what I was to experience? Father had been by my side through my first trip and had guided me and explained things along the way. But this young man had travelled this far alone with no clue as to what laid ahead. Did the same thing happen to Father on his first trip? Now that he thought about it, they had never discussed Father’s first trip. Probably an oversight on his part. He would never know now.

His priority right now, though, was to guide the young man on his way home.

“Take the forward path it will return you home.” The son said.

“I do not know the way. I cannot find the path.”

The young man was completely lost. The path was right there but he could not see it. The son placed him on the path. The young man stood there blinked a few times. “I see it!” he exclaimed. “The path is here.”

“What else do you see?” the son asked.

“I see everything! But it was not here and now it is?”

“Amazing!” the son thought. Not a statement but a question.

“It is always here, even when you don’t see it.” The son said.

“But not the backward path? It is not here!”

“No, the backward path is also here.” the son smiled. “Do you wish to see it?”

“I am afraid.” The young man replied cautiously.

“Do not fear. I am with you. I will show you.” And there before him the young man saw the path.

“I see it!” he cried. “But it is not as before. Now I understand what I see.”

“That is good.” The son encouraged him. “And now do you see the forward path?” Yes it is here. It is always here.”

“That is right and now that you understand you will find it easier to travel the path but you must be cautious not to travel too far too quickly and preferably not alone or you may get lost again.”

“I will take the forward path home. When next I travel I will travel with others. What about you? You travel alone?”

The son smiled. He carried Father’s memories with him, his teachings, and his notes. He wasn't really alone. “I travel with my father.” He said.

The young man looked at him standing there alone. “I do not see him but he is here.”

“Yes that is right. He is here.”

The two parted ways. Each walking his own path. The son felt privileged to have witnessed firsthand someone going through enlightenment for that is indeed what the young man had gone through. His mind had opened up to new possibilities and by doing so had rejected what his one-dimensional mind had enforced on him all his life. And now he would share this knowledge with other like-minded young minds. It felt as though the universe was about to change.

Chapter 4 - The Tree

His journey continued uneventfully. He was approaching the place where he had seen the vanishing tree. He searched ahead in the distance and there it was.

He headed towards the tree and the tree seemed to get closer but something did not make sense. He hadn’t noticed it the first time but now, as he approached the tree he noticed that the tree was not getting any bigger. Usually as you move closer to things they get more into focus and get bigger, but not the tree. It just seemed to hover closer but at the same time not any closer and then…it disappeared.

He stopped and searched but the tree was not there. He faced the forward path and the tree still could not be seen. He continued along the forward path for a few steps, stopped, faced the backward path and there the tree was visible again. He tried many times from either paths but could never keep the tree in sight. It vanished at the corner of his eye. But why there? Why would the tree travel to the corner of his eye? Why could he not keep his eyes centered on the tree?

He decided that this was the key. He should concentrate his efforts in keeping the tree constantly at the center of his sight. He relaxed his body and his mind. He tried to block out everything that he saw except the tree. The tree was all he saw. He focused on the details of this tree, its colour its shape, texture. And then, the tree loomed before him.

He reached out and touched it. “I have finally found you tree. But why were you so elusive?”

The tree just stood there. Not revealing any of its secret.

The son studied the tree. There was nothing special about it, it was just a tree. But it had not acted like a tree. ”Why do you not disappear? Do you only wish to hide from afar? Will you disappear again when I leave?”

But the tree stood silent. There didn't seem to be any answers for him here.

He decided to retrace his steps to repeat the experiment but when he tried to leave, he froze. He could not find the path. The path was gone. Well not exactly. A path lay ahead of him but it was unfamiliar. Totally. He had never seen this path but that is impossible. There is only forward and backward.

What was happening to him? Was he experiencing what the young man had? Had he travelled too far and seen too much that his mind was now playing tricks on him?

No, he decided, that was not the case. He understood what he saw he just didn't know it. And then he saw it, in the corner of his eye, something familiar.

He focused on it as he had done for the tree. It took some effort but finally the familiar scene was in front of him. He was back on the path.

He relaxed seeing the familiarity around him. He could still see the tree teasing him in the corner of his eye. He refused to look at it. He did not want to be lost again, but he could not deny what he had experienced. He had touched the tree even if the tree was not on the path. How can it not be on the path? There is only forward and backward. Isn't there? That is the way of the universe. Father had said so. He had travelled the path countless times. He had solved the mystery of the universe. But he had never found the tree. I did.

What should I do? What would you do father? He knew the answer of course. Father had told him. “A mystery must be studied and when it is solved, it brings more meaning to your life”. Denying the existence of this mystery would make me one-dimensional again. Father would not be proud. Even from your grave you guide me Father. I truly am not alone. I will do you proud. I will study this mystery.

How long he stayed on the path near the tree, he does not remember. He had ventured to the tree many times and he could now do the transition effortlessly. He had been right; the tree was indeed on a path just not "the path". He had to give it a name. He had stood on the backward pass and had seen that the tree hovered near the corner of his right eye and so named the path “The right path” and “the left path” for the return trip. He had not ventured very far along either path. He did not want to get lost. He wanted to make sure he was ready before he started decisively along that path.

Today, though, he felt ready.

He had placed a marker on both paths in the eventuality that the right path would act as the forward and backward path did. If the right path eventually repeated itself he would know it when he found the marker. And he could also locate the forward path from this point.

The right path was not so much different as the forward and backward paths. Most things were identifiable and most of those he did not know he could guess their nature from other similar ones that he knew. For instance he knew what a flower was and although he had never seen a particular flower he could infer that they at least were flowers. So the path did not feel as unfamiliar as he had thought it would be.

As time went by, more unfamiliar things he saw. He started taking note of them and gave them names until too many new things had to be named so he stopped taking notes.

Something startled him out of his thoughts. He noticed something out the corner of his eye. Could it be the path? It was much too soon. He had hardly travelled the length of the world. But maybe the right path is shorter than the backward path. After all he had never walked it before. But if it was indeed "the path" he was seeing, where was the marker he had placed? He focused on the object and effortlessly headed towards it.

He was on the path of the object but it was not "the path". How can there be another path? How many more paths were there? And not only that. This path was left of the right path and so it should make it the backward path. But this was not it. He chose to follow this new path. He placed a marker and headed in the direction, which to him seemed backward. He had barely started on this path when something caught his eye again. It was another path again. On his right this time.

He did not take it. He continued onward and glimpsed something on his left this time. Another path. And then he gasped. He did not understand what he was seeing.

There were paths everywhere and nowhere. He could see destinations but no paths to get there or maybe it was many paths. The world went wild. He was overwhelmed. He closed his eyes trying to shut out the world but the visions would not dispel. His mind fought to make sense of the incoherence of his senses, but in vain. He collapsed.

A sound awoke him. He knew that sound. It was the sound that made things wet. He did not like being on the path when it was wet. Then he remembered. He was not on the path. His eyes were still closed. He was afraid to open them. What if the madness was still there? The paths that were not paths. He may be lost, like the young man he had seen on the path. What would have happened to him if he had not come along to offer him his guidance? Would he have been lost forever? Will I?

It seemed that Father could not help him. He had never mentioned anything like this path that is not a path. The tree. It was the tree’s fault. It had guided him to a path of madness. He never should have looked at that tree. It was just a tree after all. He had seen trees before. He should have stayed one-dimensional and ignored it. But Father had encouraged him to investigate. Everything needs to be investigated in order to make sense of it. If Father had not persevered in his quest he never would have learned so much.

The man he had found on the path had been lost until he had learned to confront the madness. When the son had reassured him that his madness was only caused by confusion, the young man had eventually seen the truth of it. This then, was the way to proceed. He must confront this madness and when he does he will see that things do make sense. Just as the young man had.

Slowly he got up. He cupped his eyes with his hands and carefully pried them apart. There was a path in front of him. Tentatively, he stared ahead. Things seemed to make sense. He recognized what he saw. It was not maddening. He started to remove his hands and this is when the madness returned.

He cupped his eyes with his hands once more. He did not want to panic. Panic would not be helpful. He breathed in slowly and relaxed. Once more he carefully parted his hands, and once more the path made sense. But this time, instead of completely removing his hands he opened them slightly more and stopped.

There were things hovering to the side of his eyes, both eyes. It could only mean one thing. There were two more paths. He focused on the right one and shifted as he had learned to do. Still cupping his eyes, he finally settled on this new path. Again, he understood what he saw but here again something hovered to his right again, another path?

He shifted again and still a new path was hovering on his right. How many of these paths were there? He continued the process a few more times and stopped at the path he was seeing. I have seen this path he thought. I’m sure of it. So he memorized the details of this path and started the process again.

Sure enough, all the paths he was now seeing he had seen before and once again he stopped at the path he had memorized. He repeated the process but from the left side now. The order was different but the paths remained consistent. He decided to try something trickier.

When on the forward path the backward path cannot be seen but it is still there and so one can switch from one to the other. The same had been for the right path and the left path.

He was ready. He stared at he path he had named the main path. He knew what the path left and right of it looked like, so he would know if he had indeed shifted as he had wanted. He concentrated as he had when he shifted from the forward to the backward paths. There! He had done it. He had reversed the path.

He tried with all the paths and succeeded. He understood the paths now. They made sense to him but why were there so many. There is only forward and backward. The idea seemed so one-dimensional to him now. There were many forward and backward. He knew that now. But where do they lead? So many paths. What can it mean Father?

Then he remembered. He still had not removed his hands from his face. He had gained a certain understanding of what he was seeing. Was it enough for him to confront the madness? He had to try. He could not continue his journey until he faced this fear.

He faced what he had called the main path and stood there. He steadied his breathing. He let calmness fill him. Slowly he parted his hands further while keeping his eyes straight on the path. He began to be aware of the two paths on either side of the main one but did not focus on them. As his hands were removed, something amazing happened. The two paths on either side seemed to come closer to the main path. No not closer. They became one. He was not seeing three paths but one. He carefully shifted his attention to some of the details and realized that they were from the right path while some were from the left. The three paths had indeed merged.

How could that be? How can three paths become one? He focused on details to his left and noticed that they belonged to yet another path and that it had merged too. Somehow all the paths were merging. The paths continued to merge and then he recognized the details of the main path. All the paths had merged. Only one remained. But this path was unlike any of the paths he had seen before. It was overwhelming. With many forwards and many backwards, lefts and rights and yet, he could see them all. They made sense. He shifted perspective as effortlessly as he had when he had switched from forward path to backward path. He had conquered the madness.

He decided that it was time to move on, but to where? There were too many choices that presented themselves. So many paths. And then he saw them, on the ground, his footsteps. If he retraced them he would find the markers that would lead him home.

But did he really want to go home? What was there for him? Father and Mother were gone and no one missed him. But he missed home. He had been gone so long and had seen so much. Maybe it was time to go home and think on things. Even father had taken the time to rest from his travels. And so the son made his way homeward.

It did not take him long to find the first marker. He looked around for his footsteps and almost missed them. The wet had come down and had almost wiped out everything. Still there were enough for him to find the path. He continued while looking for the second marker that would put him on the backward path.

Finally he reached the marker. By now his footsteps were gone. He knew the backward path well enough so did not worry, until he saw the tree. It was the vanishing tree but it did not vanish. It was there part of the path. And then he saw it, the backward path. He had almost missed it.

The path was there but it was different. There were things he recognized but much he did not. And just now he realized that he had not travelled alone, the merged path had travelled with him. Everywhere he looked there were paths. They had not been there before.

The merged path was everywhere and among it he could see the backward path. He cupped his eyes to concentrate on the details he recognized as the backward path and there it was plain as sight. The path he remembered. It had merged with the merged path a well.

What was going on? Was this merged path going to swallow the world? Why had it followed him here?

He continued down the backward path cupping his eyes every so often to get his bearings. Aside from the merged path, the backward path was unchanged. The merged path seemed content to just be there. It did not swallow the backward path it just laid alongside either side of it.

What if the merged path was not swallowing anything? It may have always been there. Like the disappearing tree. Father may have passed the tree many times but never noticed it. The merged path may also always have been there but unseen.

But it is so present. Not seeing it makes no sense. But I had not seen the merged path at first. I had to learn to see it. I had to become… less one-dimensional. That must be it!

In order to leave the confines of home and tackling the forward or backward path, I had to learn to accept new ideas. New possibilities. Father’s teaching taught me to look beyond what my senses perceived. To question things. The townsfolk never questioned anything. Things were as they were. "You were not here and now you are. You can only go forward or backward." Their one-dimensional thinking blinds them to the truth. The truth that the world is not one-dimensional it is more than that. Only when you accept that will you perceive its mysteries. We live in a two-dimensional world; a dimension of being and one of seeing. You were right Father; the world is more complex than we thought.

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