The Wizard…by Fokion Triantafyllidis

The old wise wizard was comfortably seated in his wooden rocking chair in the front yard, savoring the evening when suddenly, the small night owl appeared.
“Isn’t it frightening? You’re there, at peace, and then out of nowhere, a thought strikes you… and in that moment, when you believed you could conquer anything, you feel as small as a worm?”
“Isn’t it wonderful to feel truly alive? My dear night owl, that’s what it means to experience life,”
replied the elderly, knowledgeable wizard.
“Whatever,”
the little owl thought before vanishing into the night…

On a bright, sunny morning, the small hobbit made his way to visit the old wise wizard once more.
“Old man,”
he began,
“could you explain to me why it seems that no matter how hard I strive for success, it always seems just out of reach? Yet at other times, it feels as though I can accomplish anything with hardly any effort at all.”
The old wise wizard, somewhat annoyed by the hobbit’s unexpected arrival, shot him a look of mild irritation and responded,
“Oh, little hobbit, you always show up at the most surprising moments. And now you’re inquiring about the profound mysteries of existence. Nevertheless, I will attempt to shed some light on this matter for you. In our universe, there are times when the entire cosmos, from the smallest insect to the most distant celestial body, is in perfect alignment, creating an unseen harmony. During these rare moments, extraordinary events can unfold—things that would not be possible at any other time. Unfortunately, living beings often struggle to recognize these fleeting opportunities. However, if someone is truly attuned to this timing and can grasp its significance, then they can accomplish incredible things.”
“Thank you, wise old wizard,”
the little hobbit replied before disappearing…

It was nearly noon when the wise old wizard began to prepare his lunch.
Just then, the little hobbit burst into the kitchen.
“Master, I need your guidance,”
he said.
“I feel so alone and lost, as if I’m trapped in darkness. It’s like I’m in a tunnel, unsure of which way to turn to find the light. Should I go straight, turn back, or head left or right? I just don’t know… I feel like I’ve lost all hope…”
The wise old wizard looked up and replied,
“Ah, my dear hobbit. I’ve told you countless times:
YOU MUST BE PATIENT!
Take small steps, one at a time. You can’t move to the second step without completing the first. Use your mind; that’s why you have one. First, determine if there’s even a slight incline. Once you do, you’ll be able to eliminate two of the four choices. The easiest path might seem tempting, but remember, the simplest route is often the one that leads to trouble. The path of virtue is usually the more challenging one.
If you want to achieve anything worthwhile in life, always opt for the harder path. The rewards will be lasting success.
But, as I’ve said before, patience is key. Only with patience will you find enduring success.”
“Thank you, wise one,”
the little hobbit said before disappearing…

One evening, the old wise wizard was relaxing in his living room with his friends, the four winds.
The east wind spoke up, saying,
“You humans are, how should I put it, rather foolish.”
The wizard turned to his friend and inquired,
“Why do you say that?”
The east wind replied,
“You humans are always preoccupied with time. Yet, time is a vast and daily mystery. You are all part of it, but you hardly ever consider it. You have calendars and clocks to measure it, but time is inherently relative. An hour can feel like an eternity or pass in the blink of an eye, depending on your experiences. Time is life, and life resides in your hearts.”
The old wise wizard twirled his long white beard around his finger, a habit he had when deep in thought, and said,
“I’ve never contemplated this issue in the way you just expressed. Thank you for sharing your insight with me.”

One evening, the little nightowl appeared on the old wizard’s porch, where the elderly man was comfortably settled in his wooden rocking chair. As usual, she jumped right in with her question:
“Wise one, tell me about age.”
Delighted to see his little pupil, the old wizard replied without hesitation:
“We often misjudge age, my dear nightowl. Look at me; my hair is as white as the snow-capped mountains, yet I know so little about life.
When we think of our great ancestors, we picture them as wise old men at the end of their journeys — Abraham, Moses, Paulus, Charlemagne. They are all depicted as bearded elders. Did they never experience youth? Why do we only remember them as old?
Most of the remarkable achievements come from the young.
Trust an old man. The child represents the purest form of life. The young adult dreams of what’s to come, while the elderly reflect on what has passed. Only a child truly lives in the present, free from regrets of the past or fears of the future.
This ability is what sustains us throughout our lives. Within every aging body, a child still breathes. That child smiles at you from every weathered face.
If you wish to understand life, seek wisdom from the young and the children. For the child embodies the essence of humanity. The more you cling to your childhood, the closer you come to the mysteries of creation.
Have you ever pondered the uniqueness of Christianity?
There are religions that embody Christian values even more than Christianity itself.
What’s remarkable is the birth in Bethlehem:
God is a child!
Isn’t that incredible?
All those venerable priests, popes, prophets, and apostles, as old as Abraham and Moses, bow before a child.
BECAUSE GOD IS A CHILD!”
The little nightowl was so taken aback that she couldn’t find the words.
So impressed was she that she forgot to thank the wise old wizard and vanished into the night…

One night, the little nightowl visited the old wise wizard.
She inquired,
“Dear old man, why do I feel that even when I speak to others, it seems like no one is truly listening?”
The old wizard replied,
“Ah, my little nightowl, you sense that no one is paying attention. You should understand that true listening is a rare and precious skill. Not everyone possesses the gift to listen deeply. When you encounter someone who has mastered this art, you will feel it; your thoughts will soar and flow from your lips like a bubbling spring. However, I fear that finding such a person may be quite difficult. Many have forgotten how to truly listen…”
With a grateful smile, the little nightowl thanked the wise man and vanished into the night…

One sunny afternoon, the old wise wizard was relaxing on his porch in a rocking chair when the little hobbit came into view.
“Master,”
he said,
“why does it sometimes feel like I can’t complete what I’ve started? It seems like a massive mountain I have to climb.”
The old wise wizard chuckled softly and replied,
“Oh, my eager little hobbit, you’re seeing things all wrong. Let me share a little tale with you:
There was once a street cleaner who often faced very long streets, sometimes just moderately long ones, and occasionally short ones. Whenever he stood at the start of a long street, he would think,
‘Oh dear, this street is so long; I’ll never finish it…’
Then he would rush, getting more frantic with each step. But every time he looked up, the end of the street seemed just as far away. This would only make him hurry even more.
Clearly, our street cleaner was approaching the task incorrectly. The key is not to focus on the entire street at once. You should only concentrate on your next step. Just that one step at a time. Before you know it, you’ll have cleaned the entire long street without even realizing it.”
“Thank you, wise one,”
said the little hobbit, and he vanished from sight…

One night, the little night-owl visited the home of the old wise wizard.
“Master, everything feels so difficult.”
“Don’t lose hope, my little night-owl. I understand that fate has been tough on you.
But!
You mentioned that you discovered your pure soul; why aren’t you holding onto him?”
the wizard inquired.
“Hold onto him? And make him unhappy? Do you really think I care for him so little?”
the owl shouted.
“No, my little night-owl,”
the wise wizard replied,
“I have no doubt about your love for him. Perhaps this is your greatest gift to him, a way to express your feelings.
But don’t you think you could achieve more together than apart? I know it’s hard to believe when one is here and the other is far away, but love can bridge any distance. My little night-owl, have you considered that your pure soul is thinking of you too?
Don’t feel lost, my little night-bird. If he truly loves you, he will always support you, even to the last of his belongings.
But you must take the first step. May the heavens guide you in your choice…”
The night-owl gazed at the wizard, filled with fear, pain, and a sense of loss…
Realizing her actions were misguided, she turned and vanished into the dark night.

It was nighttime, and the venerable wizard sat in his rocking chair on the veranda, as was his custom.
Out of the shadows, the small night owl appeared unexpectedly.
“Master,”
she inquired,
“why must we endure pain?”
The wise old man reclined, gazing at the owl as he responded,
“Pain, my dear night owl, is one of the most profound experiences that any living being can encounter, second only to love. It serves as a warning signal that something is amiss. There are various forms of pain, but the most intense is that which arises from love. Love should elevate you, allowing you to soar, rather than wishing for the cessation of existence.
I once encountered a couple where the woman was trapped in her own personal torment. No physician, no sorcerer, no remedy, nor enchantment could alleviate her suffering. She was in such anguish that she could not bear the happiness surrounding her; she longed for destruction. Her husband endeavored to uplift her spirit and remained by her side whenever she required support, yet she had forgotten how to convey her love to him. Consequently, the only gift she could offer was pain. Every other day, she would threaten to leave him. The unfortunate man lived in a perpetual state of dread, fearing her departure. At night, as his beloved wife slept, he would watch her and weep silently, tormented by the thought that he might never again gaze into her eyes upon waking.
Sadly, she eventually departed. He sought her out, but she had vanished. The forlorn man returned to his desolate home, uncertain of how to proceed with his life. The sole thing that sustained him was the hope that one day he would again meet her gaze.
Months later, he learned that his beloved had passed away; she had taken her own life in the enchanted forest of the east. This news was the final blow. He made his way to the village church, ascended the belltower stairs, and leaped into the void.”
As the owl attempted to dry her tears, she turned away and vanished into the night…

One evening, the venerable and sagacious wizard, along with the small night owl, were seated in rocking chairs on the grounds of the wizard’s residence.
The wizard turned to the little night owl and inquired,
“There is something I have always wished to ask you. Why do you consistently come to me with your inquiries?”
“I seek to discover my true self,”
replied the owl.
“To discover ‘my true self’… it is a simple statement, yet a challenging endeavor. To truly find yourself, one must experience love. To be blissfully in love is a universal aspiration. However, individuals often place excessive expectations on one another. Those who love deeply may find it difficult to attain happiness. What reality can ever align with our dreams? The beloved is but a vision, a figment of your imagination.”
“Are you suggesting that love is merely an illusion?”
the little night owl questioned.
“Love is the reflection of your imagination,”
the wizard responded.
“Everyone is in search of ‘the one’ who complements them, yet we invariably discover only ourselves.”
“This is utterly absurd!”
the little owl interjected.
“There is nothing more irrational than love. You have spoken to me of a being with a pure soul. If he is deserving of your affection, cherish him, nurture him, and love him. This will be the sacred union of pure souls. It is not his fault that he was born under different circumstances, nor is it his fault that he hails from another place. Love has the power to overcome all obstacles.”
These words lingered in the air, reminiscent of the night flower releasing its fragrance into the darkness.
After a moment, the wise old wizard continued,
“My dear night owl, I have never shared this with anyone else, but there was a time when I encountered an unicorn. An unicorn with an exceptionally pure heart.
It was a rainy day, and as I wandered through the forest, I stumbled upon a clearing. There, I beheld the most beautiful unicorn I would ever see. What elegance! Even her visage radiated such beauty and grace.
As I approached her, the moment our eyes met, the weather transformed. The rain gave way to the sunniest spring day. In that instant, I realized that I was standing before an angel.
Although I have been instructing you on how to grasp it, whenever you encounter an angel, I was unable to retain this particular angel. After a few days in this state of clarity, she vanished.
As the years went by, the empires of powerful lords faded away, and humanity’s way of thinking evolved.
Suddenly, I saw her again at a grand gathering of souls. She stood there, lost, bewildered, and despondent. I pondered why an angel would experience such feelings. When I approached her, she initially did not recognize me. However, after some time, memories began to resurface. Yet, my dear owl, time slipped away from us…
Now, I find myself here, left in solitude with my old dreams… existing without purpose, nonetheless…”
The little night owl understood, turned away, and vanished into the night…

One morning the doorbell of the old wise wizard’s house was ringing.
It was the little hobbit.
“Oh my little hobbit, what leads you to my house, and why are you sad?”,
the old wizard asked.
“Oh, master, what can I say? I feel so lonely, and I feel so lost. I feel totally forgotten…”
“Tell me about it. I might help you in your pain.”,
the wizard .said
“I don’t know. everything seems so senseless, so desperate, so nothing…suddenly you feel love; you feel like you are stranded on an island, where you and she are the only ones who are counting. Where Everything starts to make sense.
And then suddenly there comes a crane. Picks you up and throws you into a desert. With no water, no food. Go and survive!
And you are just there, trying to pick up the destroyed pieces of your life…”
The old wise wizard looked scared at the little hobbit and answered,
“Don’t give up hope and don’t stop loving; that is what god is telling us…”
Still in pain, the little hobbit turned and left…

One late night the old wise wizard was sitting in his rocking chair on his veranda, thinking about this and that, thinking just about everything.
The little night owl appeared and tried to get his attention.
The old wizard looked at her and was wondering why she is not talking right ahead to him, was he not always there for her?
“My dear little night owl, what is your question?”
He asked knowing that the little owl would have a question for him.
“Master, can you explain to me, why I have to suffer? Why is God not doing a miracle to help me? What is all this god-thing about, when there are no miracles to prove his existence?”,
asked the little night owl.
“Miracles, miracles, miracles. Why must you people always need proof? Can’t you just accept the fact that there is a god? Is it not a daily miracle that things are falling down and that one plus one makes two? God is surrounding you with miracles, but you don’t see them. You are used to them, and you don’t give ’em the attention they deserve. You also gave names to them! As there is gravity, mathematics, or anything else…”
The old wizard took a deep breath and continued,
“Listen, my little night owl, I am going to tell you a story, which I have told you already once:
On an island in a river there was living an eremit, who was adored for his wisdom and his faith. When in a very rainy year the river was swollen up, so that all the fishermen and farmers had to leave their houses for a safer, higher place, they also warned the eremit:
‘Come with us ’till the flood is done.’
But he answered, ‘God sent me to this place. Here I am going to stay. God will protect me.’
People flee. The water was rising. At that point the farmers sent to him a boy with a donkey:
‘Save yourself, there is still time!’
‘Oh, you people without faith,’
said this faithful man.
‘How can I do something like that? God sent me to this place. He will protect me.’
And the water was rising. It already was ’till the knees of the eremit. Two fishermen came with a boat to rescue him. The wise man didn’t accept their offer.
‘God sent me to this place. Here I am going to stay. God will protect me.’
The flood rized, the holy man drowned, and he came directly into heaven. He went in front of God’s throne and wanted to know:
‘How could you let this happen, my lord? I served you my whole life and You let me drown as a rat. Why didn’t you help me?’
And God answered:
‘I sent you a messenger. I sent you a donkey. I sent you a boat. Tell me, what else could I have done?'”
The little night owl was looking in shame down,
“Master do you believe that I have lost my faith and my hope?”
The old wizard took the little owl in his arms, wiping the tears in her eyes while he was saying to her,
“No, my little night owl You have not lost your faith and not your hope. You are just a little confused, ’cause you know, how live could be for you. And the only thing you are living is hell. God is helping you. He is the one who gives you the strength to continue. God is the one who let cross your way pure souls. I must confess, God is not letting us meet a lot of pure souls in our lives. But when he allows us to meet such a soul, he is expecting from us to stick to this pure soul.”
The little nightowl looked up to the wizard, thanked him with a kiss and disappeared into the night…

It is night, and the old wise wizard opens the windows to let the four winds in so that they can have their ‘daily’ talk.
After a while the little night owl appeared.
The wizard ‘jumped’ up in joy and wanted to introduce to her these four well-known persons, but our night owl was too shy, as night owls are deep in their nature.
The little owl urged the old wizard into a more private room.
“Tell me, old wise man.”
started immediately the owl,
“when have I to resist, and why should I?”
Confused looked the old wizard to the little night owl:
“When do I have to resist? Hmm… let me think.
Resist everything that promises you an easy life.
These will be false promises.
Resist the overlay of the freedoms of your next.
Resist bad moods and bad feelings.
Say yes to everything that is pure.
Say yes if somebody needs your help.
Say yes to happy thoughts, ’cause then you will be able to fly.
Even without wings.”
After thanking the wizard for his wise words, the little night owl turned around, spread her wings, and disappeared into the deep night…

One night, to the old wise wizard came an elf.
From pure heart and big asking eyes:
“Oh wise wizard, what shall I do?
The young generation has not the divine touch;
they don’t have the patience, they don’t have…”
The wizard slowly curling his beard around his fingers leaned back and smiled.
“My dear elf, how do you request from the younger generation to be patient;
if you are not patient by yourself?
Put yourself into their position.
Would you prefer to study or fly around like a free bird on a warm spring day?
Try to catch their interest, so that they will start to study the ancient rolls by themselves.
Make it to be like an adventure.
The whole knowledge of mankind is in our mind.
We only need the right guideline to get to it.”
The elf thanked the old wizard with a smile and shining eyes…and turned around to disappear into the night…
by Fokion Triantafyllidis

One day the little owl returned to the wizard and was complaining about her life so far.
The wizard looked at her and smiled:
“My little owl, don’t give up. You still have this angel smile in your eyes, which are making the room shine. Distance is not a matter that counts. pureness can be together, can forgive, can hope, can…”
The little owl looked at the wizard and was shaking her head.
“You don’t understand. nobody can understand!”
and started to cry.
With sorrow the wizard leaned over the little owl,
“Cry my little owl, cry. It sometimes helps. I’m here to listen to all of your problems…”
“CAN’T YOU SEE THAT I CAN’T SLEEP?”
shouted the owl angrily at the wizard.
“Oh, my little owl, don’t get angry. Angriness will not help you. Try to empty your brain. and try not to think about the things that are bothering during the ‘day.’ take a warm bath, drink a warm glass of water and then lie down. Think about nice things and start to create an illusion world. Where there will be no pain, no hate, no darkness, just joy, love, and light.”
The little owl dried her eyes, looked at the wizard, gave him a smile, turned around, and disappeared into the night…
by Fokion Triantafyllidis

One night, after years of guidness, the little owl decided to open its wings and to leave the old wise wizard.
The old man wanted to give the little owl some advice on her long journey.
So he said to the little owl:
“Beware, my little owl, humans can be very cruel, as life will be. You will find a lot of pain, a lot of darkness, a lot of Crazyness, a lot of loneliness, and sometimes some light, some hope. The big leaders of the west will be in conflicts with the leaders of the east. Both sides will be claiming to fight for God, but believe me, their acting will not be godlike. God does not want his children to die in his name. God wants you to believe in the goodness. So go little bird and wherever you will find poor kindness and a poor heart. Stay there and help him with your wisdom.”
The little owl turned, spread her wings, and disappeared in the night.
by Fokion Triantafyllidis