David Skousen: “Phantasma-gloria”
Previous page | Next page | Page: 3 of 19 |
Jump to page:
Page 3
doctor had fallen accidentally.
The next day they buried their old friend with great honor. The sick
young man watched from afar. Without the doctor’s help, what would he do?
The villagers now had to rely on their own scant knowledge until another
doctor could be found. The loss of this one man was a loss for all, and soon
several villagers died, including babies.
The young man began to realize the futility of denying his own disease,
and left the village in search of a cure.
Eventually he found a shaman, who showed him a cure by using plants. He
learned how to preserve their habitat while harvesting them. In just a few
weeks he was healed and wanted to share what he’d learned, offering to be an
apprentice to the herb doctor. He was accepted and stayed with him 10 years.
Not only did he learn how to be a successful doctor, but he learned a
philosophy that works with all healing methods, to harmonize body and mind,
as a loving soul.
Now that the young man was healed inside and out, he returned to the
village. While he didn’t admit his responsibility for the doctor’s death,
his conscience drove him to make up for it, somehow. So he became the
village doctor, and never charged for his services.
He believed that each person had the responsibility of managing his own
needs as best he could. Beyond that, the doctor was glad to assist. Some
cases were beyond his knowledge, however, which he freely admitted. The
villagers learned to trust this honest, loving man. He gained great joy in
helping, and teaching others all he knew, while seeking no further reward.
The villagers made sure he was fed and housed comfortably.
One day he asked to speak to the whole village. He told of how the old
doctor had died many years ago, and said that he accepted responsibility.
In shock, he villagers asked him to leave while they discussed the
matter. After an hour, they called him back. Their leader arose and
declared:
”We have also been young. We also have known anger. Your anger removed
from us a great benefactor. We know that those who tell us something we
can’t accept may seem, in our hearts, like enemies. Your facing your pain is
a sign that your integrity is stronger than that pain.
”It is the decision of the village to open our arms to you as a brother.
We forgive you and accept your love. Accept ours. Remain as our doctor and
teach us.”
The young man sat down on the ground and wept. The old guilt rolled out
in great sobs from the depths of his soul came into his eyes, and fell down
onto the ground in acrid tears.
No one came to comfort him. Instead, they left him to finish his
purification. They had learned such things from the wise old doctor.
When the new doctor was wrung out, he lifted his head, and bathed his
face in the sun. Soon he arose, stood very tall, and went to his house. It
was the old man’s house. As he opened the door, he was met with the
Previous page | Next page
