Silence

When Maral had completed her training, they headed for the City of Enlightenment. As they traveled, Wisdom recounted the city’s history. Its birth had been beautiful and messy. A group of Scribes, seekers of Wisdom, formed a community to delve into the ancient books in order to discover hidden and forgotten treasures of truth. They were excited and passionate about their good purpose.

Over time the Scribes became more preoccupied with the thrill of discovery than what they were actually discovering. They found that digging out real discoveries was time consuming and laborious. Slowly, they began to lose sight of Wisdom as they looked for short-cuts. When she tried to guide them back to the path of reason, she was rejected and permanently dismissed.

Obsession was welcomed into their community to fill the void left by the absence of Wisdom. Obsession showed them how they could manufacture artificial discoveries. This was more thrilling than genuine discovery because they were the authors of this new “truth”.

The benefits seemed to be endless; they found they could create these “discoveries” in a remarkably quick and comparatively easy manner. They began by warping history and truth- which provided many more opportunities for “discoveries”.

Obsession was allowed to take control and dictate the protocol of life. He quickly led the Scribes into the bondage of silence. No matter how controlled an environment Obsession created, through debate some genuine truth could leak out. Obsession couldn’t tolerate this, as truth would shatter the illusion that their work was great and lead them once more to Wisdom.

Though they have made a huge impact upon the world with their books of doctrines, theologies, and scientific breakthroughs, the impact had been harmful rather than positive. What the world had acknowledged as truth, these former seekers have now stolen and lost.

As they approached the city Maral noticed that Wisdom appeared uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?” Maral asked.

“The silence, it screams in my ears.” Wisdom said furrowing her forehead. She called out many names but her voice rebounded as if she was in a canon. “Maral, I can go no farther. I have been walled out of this city. Will you go on?”

Maral was shocked, “Me? Without you?”

Wisdom said, “Listen for my voice; I will be with you. You can do this. But it is your choice. Will you go?”

“What am I to do?” She looked at the intimidating city before them. It was too big. She considered saying no. It felt safe to say no.

“Liberate the city.”

Maral’s mind spun with a million negative scenarios. She looked at Wisdom and drew confidence from her steady look. She didn’t trust herself, but she trusted Wisdom- and Wisdom was asking her to do this. Maral nodded, “You will be with me?”

“I will be with you.”