The Boy & The Traveling Merchant

In a small and quiet village hidden in the mountains, there grew a unique flower that held a magical secret. When consumed, the flower granted the person who ate it to connect with the mountain and the creatures that called it home, becoming one with the land. With this flower, the villagers learned to communicate with the land, caring for its needs and using it to care for theirs.

However, with such amazing powers, the flowers did not grow like the others. They could not be regrown and would whither from even a slight change in their environment. As a result, only a few could be harvested every year. And it was to be consumed by the elders who could share with the village what they experienced. Due to its rarity, the villagers kept it secret.

Among the villagers was a young boy who held a great curiosity, fascination, and wonder for the world. However, he felt trapped by the traditions of his small village. He wanted nothing more than to explore what existed beyond the mountain, but with little means or experience, it was nothing but a foolish dream.

One day, while wandering through the woods, he stumbled upon a traveling merchant. The man's cart was filled with strange and exotic items; things the boy had never seen before. He was awestruck and his mind filled with a million questions. He pestered the merchant for stories of his travels and adventures.

However, the merchant wasn't as excited to see the boy. In all his years of traveling, not one boy ever bought anything from him, but the merchant was cunning. He told the boy, "Listen, I don't have time to sit around and tell you my stories. I have places to be and things to sell. If you want to know what I know, you have to make it worth my while."

Eager to learn whatever he could about the world beyond the mountains, the boy searched his mind for something valuable he could offer the merchant. His mind fell on the rare flower that grew in the village. He knew it was meant to be a secret, but the boy saw the merchant as his only ticket to the adventure he had always dreamed of. He told the merchant about the flower and its power to allow humans to become one with the land.

The merchant raised an eyebrow and said, "Why should I believe anything you say? If you can show me where it grows and I have seen them with my own eyes, I will tell you my stories and even give you some items in my cart to help you during your great adventure beyond these mountains."

The boy hesitated. He already made a mistake in telling the merchant, but the lure of adventure and the pain of following old traditions clouded his judgment. He led the merchant to the hidden grove near the village where the precious flowers bloomed.

True to his word, the merchant shared his tales of distant lands, gave the boy a handful of trinkets, and even added a bit of money for the boy's travels ahead. The boy's face lit up and his heart filled with excitement. For the first time in his life, he felt as though his dreams were within reach. Grateful, he thanked the merchant and headed home.

When he awoke the next morning, he noticed the village was in chaos. People were in panic, shouting at each other about how they won't make it through the next winter. When the boy asked what happened, he learned all the flowers were gone. The merchant had stolen them and he had led him straight to their grove.

The joy he believed he would feel forever was replaced by the heavy weight of guilt and shame. He was finally ready to embark on the adventure he longed for all his life, but he would never go. The price of his adventure was bought at the cost of betraying his village, his home, and his people.

In his pain, he pondered, "Why is it that I'm closer to having everything I ever wanted, yet more miserable than ever before?" The truth was, he wasn't unhappy about the adventure, but he was unhappy about himself. He could forgive the merchant for betraying his trust, but he couldn't forgive himself for betraying the trust of the people who cared for him.

The greatest unhappiness doesn't come from what you lack in your life, but from what you lack in yourself. True happiness doesn't come from having the freedom to do what you want, but from having the strength to do what you know is right. Strive to live your life in such a way that the memory of your name doesn't only inspire thoughts about what you made of your life, but what you made of yourself.