The Alchemist by Floyd C. Wilkes
A long time ago in a land far away, an Alchemist considered the sublime and theorized: Once some thing is gone, it’s gone. Contemplating this he came to the realization: This is true of all things except truth. This realization pleased the Alchemist and produced hope in him.
Truth cannot be destroyed or tarnished and is not subject to decay. All things are united in truth and truth manifests in all things. Whereby his hope became joy.
The Alchemist perceived truth as the unique cause of wisdom. In time, he experienced wisdom as a magical catalyst activating infinity and transforming essence from unceasing, awful struggle to effortless, joyful accord. The Alchemist in truth knew wisdom as the end of suffering and the true source of abiding happiness. Whereby his joy multiplied.
Observing beyond, he identified the proliferation of ignorance as a necessary condition for the conception of wisdom. In this moment his joy was expanded eternally and perfected through compassion and he laughed while he wept, now realizing his connection in truth and joy to all suffering around him.
Then a vision appeared: In the garden of the Temple of Temporal Spaciousness, The Eternal Dynamic, and His overlord, Effective, were seen burying Truth within the Field of Time, then placing Dreadful Fear and Unquenchable Desire to guard against it. The two beasts—awful beauties!—dance and appear to fight, creating dust clouds and obstacles known as Little Struggles and Ignorance Raining Down. Suddenly a voice spoke, “tame the beasts and deluge cease. Uncover Truth and harness abundant creative energy, while kudos from heaven distill spontaneously upon you. To tame the beasts, eat of their heart and replace it with a bit torn from your own. Know your word is your only weapon.”
The vision ended.
The Alchemist replied, “Without this how would anyone ever lose God? Having never lost God, how could anyone rejoice in finding God? Not finding God, how could anyone worship God? Or love God? How else is God to be loved or transcended?”
The Alchemist, inspired and delighted, distilled pleasure from his insight and resumed his effort to find an elixir capable of transforming ordinary lead into pure gold. Suddenly, it occurred to him to share his insight into the workings of nature, knowing many suffer from an absence of abiding happiness.
He prepared a sign and nailed it to his garden gate by the road: If you would know happiness, seek truth.
“Yes, yes!” replied a wayfarer enthusiastically, “but how does one find truth?”
“By eating the heart of beasts!” responded the Alchemist. The traveler turned frightfully making the sign of the crucifix and hastened along his way.
