I gazed upon the grand gates. Each and every one of them towering far above me. Hordes of people streaming through the arches constantly like a busy airport. The choice was difficult. Each and every one of them offering
It was paralyzing. The offers so tempting, but as I stared, a thought crept up to me. Where's Pride? Shaken out of my stupor, my head whirled around scanning the massive lobby. There, forgotten in the corner with a flaking billboard stood a crooked door that was all but indistinguishable from the walls around it with faint fading letters printed upon it. "PRIDE."
Really? Pride? Pride of all gates stands worn and forgotten when all others get to be so grand? That seemed so... Out of character. Intrigued, I made my way through the forgotten, smallest gate. Finding myself standing in a simple and functional, but eye pleasing lobby. A receptionist typing away on his computer behind the desk.
As I approached, he looked up from his work and smiled. "Welcome to pride, greatest of sins. How can I help you today?" He didn't hide his expectant smirk, my curiosity must not be a new thing. I decided to indulge him, "I expected Pride to be the grandest, most opulent entrance. Why..." I gestured all around, "just this?"
He chuckled, "you have greed for that don't you?" I blinked in surprise. "When people hear Pride, they think pettiness, shallow vanity, spoiled princesses and unreasonable second generations. But that's not Pride," he gestured at pictures on the wall of the other sins.
"Pride is not Greed, that simply wants to have everything it can no matter the method," yachts, jewels and riches untold heaped around a man surrounded by supermodels in the picture. A glamorous, if hollow life.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Pride is not Sloth, that simply wants to enjoy the good things," an old father, surrounded by his family, together idling away the time. A wholesome, sweet life with little ambition, little change and little events. Only more of the same.
"Pride is not Gluttony, that doesn't understand that happiness is fleeting," a comic of a man going from indulgence to indulgence. Eating at a five star restaurant until he grew sick of the taste. A massage that lasted days, until it caused more stress than it relieved.
"Pride is not Lust, that lives for the moment," a woman following her whims, adventure to adventure, event to event and moment to moment with little pause. A life of joy, adventure and little consistency. Any doubts or hesitation left behind to find the next rush.
"Pride is not Wrath, that thinks the feelings of others are key," a sadistic man torturing a hundred people, acting out his worst fantasies. A woman who sought to please, always subservient and afraid to act out of line. A life spent thinking of others, explicitly aiming to please or hurt them, never reflecting upon the self or living for what you want.
"Pride is not Envy, that wants it all," a woman who, on demand or tantrum received any wish. She had it all, any wish granted within the moment. Yet never was she satisfied, never seeing how hollow her life and petty her character.
"Pride is confidence. Not the hollow veneer that narcissists put up, but knowing full well deep down to your bones who you are, what you can do and what you're worth. You will be given nothing, you will have to build your own paradise, build your own dreams and prove your own worth. Every gate is a wish, but Pride is the wish to fulfill your own wish. The wish for self improvement. But to walk that path you first need perspective," he said waving at the wall of sins. "If you have any doubts, go ahead and experience the other gates first, see for yourself what your dream life is like. I'll be here waiting, ready for when you're ready to reincarnate."