The Elder

Summary

A man encounters an elder at the edge of a cliff, misinterprets his intentions to jump, and is humorously rebuked for not trusting in the elder's serene sunset observation.

Abstract

The narrative describes a man's unexpected encounter with an elder standing at the brink of a precipice. The younger man, driven by concern and curiosity, approaches cautiously, fearing the elder might leap into the darkness below. Despite his efforts to announce his presence, the elder remains unmoved until the younger man is close enough to touch him. At this moment, the elder playfully feigns a fall, revealing the jest with hearty laughter, much to the younger man's relief and then frustration. The elder then imparts a poignant reflection on the man's dishonesty with himself, his own true intentions, and the stark reality that most individuals who seek truth within themselves never return. The elder questions the man's motives, suggesting he came to save a soul, perhaps his own. As the elder speaks, the sun begins to rise, and the man departs, contemplating the elder's words and the enigmatic comment about his own countenance, which the elder never actually saw.

Opinions

The elder believes that the young man is not honest with himself, highlighting his self-deception and the difficulty in confronting one's own innermost truths.
He implies that the young man's concern for the elder is a projection, hinting that the true intent may be to soothe the young man's conscience or to avoid confronting his own shortcomings.
The elder seems to suggest that saving a soul (whether his own or another's) was the driving force behind the young man's interference, touching on themes of redemption and salvation.
By not looking at the sunset when it arrives, the elder demonstrates his equanimity and preparedness, contrasting with the younger man's anxiety.
He subtly mocks the man's expressive facial reactions, further emphasizing the elder's ability to perceive without directly observing and the difference in their dispositions towards life's occurrences.

He Who Looked To The Light

I encountered an elder unlike the rest today. He seemed deep in thought as he stood upon the very edge of a steep cliff. As soon as I saw him, I began to make my way over to him. For some reason I was intrigued and worried by him, the way he stood without moving a muscle, gazing into the night sky. Almost as if he intended to leap into the darkness.

I approached him slowly, knowing startling him would surely mean his end, given his closeness to the edge. I made my steps as audible as I could, but he did not turn around. Once I was a bit closer to him, I called out to him softly. he did not turn around. Finally, once I was within arm’s length of him I laid a hand on his shoulder. Instantly began to fall forward off the edge of the cliff. I stuck both arms out to catch him, but he never fell into them.

A hearty laugh was coming from the man, and I released the breath that had been stuck in my lungs as I realized I had been fooled. Frustration began to build within me, and I asked him why he thought that was funny. He kept laughing away without turning around to look at me.

He nonchalantly told me I wouldn’t have cared if he fell anyway. That no one would have. Before I could reassure him that I would, he asked me why I was Interrupting his sunset. I realized that the man was merely waiting to watch the sunset, which was nearly upon us. He asked me what brought me here, and I answered that I wanted to be sure of his safety. His response was interesting to say the least.

“You are an honest man, but only to those other than yourself. Oh, the peril of a man who believes so deeply in his falsehoods. The truth lies deeper within. somewhere within the depths of the human heart. Most who travel to those depths never return. Whose soul did you really come here to save? Who among you is pure of heart and intention? It remains to be seen. But regardless you should have seen the look on your face. leave me now, for the light approaches.”

Just as he finished his sentence, a ray of light pierced the night sky and caused me to wince and turn away. I noticed that the man had not moved his face away from the sun’s rays. I turned and left, but as I did so I pondered on what he meant by the look on my face.

Not once had he turned around to see it.