September 16, 2012
Two men, the best of friends, were on a train together. They had decided to take the trip to start their lives over again somewhere else. The train pulls into the station, and one man gets up to leave. Another one says,
"Hey, where are are you going? I thought you were headed to the same place that I was."
The other man turns to him, and with a calm voice says, "At first I was, but I decided somewhere along the way that it wasn't where I truly wanted to go."
"Well, why not," the first one asks angrily. "You said you'd go wherever I was going! I don't like the fact that you changed your mind! C'mon man, don't let me down."
The second man took a second and gathered his thoughts before speaking. "At first, I thought you and I were headed to the exact same destination. We thought alike, our interests were quite similar, and even our behaviors were very much the same. The further we got on our journey, I began to see that we weren't as alike as I thought us to be. I realized just what I was trying to get away, and in the process, I saw your reason too."
The first man replies condescendingly, "And that reason is..."
"Well," the second one answers, "My reason for leaving is to catch my breath for a bit, look at my life, and work through my past. Your reason for leaving is of the desire to run away from everything, hoping you can leave it far behind, that it won't catch up to you wherever you may go. I've spent my life running away from everyone and everything, my friend, and I can tell you this; it doesn't work. No matter where you go, your troubles will follow you. Those battles in your mind will stow away and come along on the trip, pretending that they are out of sight. When the time is right, they reveal themselves, and it's as if you never left in the first place."
He paused, reflecting for a few seconds.
"I've lived the good life; had everything handed to me on a silver platter. I've traveled the world over, owned exotic cars, luxurious homes, and had the "trophy wife. Even after all of this, I still felt unfulfilled. I had it all, yet still had nothing, it seems. There was a hunger inside of me that no one could satisfy..."
"Wait a minute," the first man interrupted. "Don't tell me you've gone all religious on me and became a born-again Christian or anything like that. After all we've talked about....and you go and do this?"
"No," the other guy answered. "It's got nothing to do with religion, but everything to do with spirituality. There is a difference, you know. I know you choose to believe what you do, and I respect that. What I will not respect is your intolerance for anything other than what you believe. Therein lies the problem; a double standard, if you will. Once I realized how you would view me after I revealed I the desire to change my mind, I knew it was time to plan for inevitable change, even if it meant a friendship being severed."
The first man sat there speechless at first. He tried to form words, but they just came out in pieces, "I.....don't......kno-"
The second man continued, "And here is where I am taking a stand. I'm parting ways with you. Goodbye, my friend. I enjoyed our times together, and I will cherish them. Unfortunately, for the reasons stated, I can no longer stay in your company. Take care of yourself and I do hope you find your own happiness in your own way. Here's a little thing to remember; if your happiness encroaches on the happiness of others, then it's not true happiness."
With that, he stepped off of the train, walking into the station, to a new life, with new adventures. The first man sat on the train, watching out the window, seeing his friend disappear, as the station doors closed. Tears began to fill his eyes, and he could only wonder why his friend had changed so much, and the feelings he conveyed in their conversation dominated his thoughts. He felt betrayed and abandoned. Suddenly, he felt hatred towards his now former friend.
The train slowly picked up speed, and traveled onward to its next destination, with this man in the company of his thoughts, and everything else he was trying to run away from.
Copyright 2012, Danny Mac