The Sound of One Hand

​An individual was going through an existential crisis.

No matter how much help they sought, nothing got them out of their funk.

But it was passed on to them through the grapevine of someone that had “answers.”

Upon meeting this person, they immediately asked that most pertinent of questions…

...the question which has thwarted sages, saints, and sinners since the beginning…

“What is the meaning of life?”

This sage however, was ready with an answer.

“I have something for you to meditate on, and if you do, the answer will be given to you.”

With this, the downtrodden individual felt some excitement for the first time in a long while.

“What is it?”

“I want you to figure out how can something be true and not true at the same time.”

“How can an illusion also be reality?”

With this, the sage provided them with a room on their grounds so they could contemplate this question in as much ease as possible.

But the individual was having no luck, and told the sage such.

“No worries, take another week to meditate on it.”

The next week passed but still with no result.

“That is fine, just one more week and I am sure you will get it.”

This extra week came and went with the individual no more enlightened than when they first came.

“I want you to take three more days,” said the sage.

“...and if you still don’t find the answer, burn down your house and throw away your wallet as punishment for not seeing the answer right in front of your face.”

The very next day they found the answer…

Continued in Part II

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