His Interlude
He just wanted someone to acknowledge him. He shouted a lot about all kinds of things. He was passionate about it all, and he wasn’t afraid of letting the world know. What he saw was something unknown to the people he met. That fervor he felt towards the various things that interested him couldn’t be matched by another’s. He knew and he accepted that what fueled him was his and his alone, and so he dedicated his all towards the world around him. It was the least he could do for the people and the world that nurtured his love.
By offering his hand around him he became a beacon of hope for all. He refused none and listened to everybody. Wicked whispers and tumultuous voices had tried to take advantage of this policy but it mattered not. He looked with an intuitive eye, and judged with a steady heart. He was not impartial enough to rule like a god, so he stood on the ground.
His kindness was tested over and over, and he did not falter. He was given the weight of the world, still he didn’t buckle. There was nothing that couldn’t be thrown his way, but he stood before it all. And while his world was crashing down on him and the weight was becoming too much for any man to withstand, he stood tall still. Not once did he question why the world had treated him so. Tested to his limits, he simply wished to see more of the world that he had admired.
In the face of sin when others would break, he did not. When his mercy was questioned, he stood strong. When he was mocked, he did not yell. And when it came time for his hand to be bit while offering it, he did not regret it. Even if it were to happen again, he would offer his hand.
For this reason, he was loved. Because of this reason, he was revered. And so those who followed him called him a god, a king, a deity. The words of reverence for him did not stop, and he had heard any and all kinds of words that could be used to praise him.
When faced with the world’s reciprocation and given a future to wish for, he had made a realization contrary to his original belief. If it were not for him would the dreams they had wished for been accomplished? Were his deeds only possible because it was him and him alone that walked in front the paths of many others? For those who followed him, did they have him alone to thank for their happiness and sadness? If he were not there…what would change? Had no one else been able to do what he had done?
He was undeniably unique wasn’t he? Although the world had taught him love, he thought of how to teach the world much more. So what would change, were he gone?
That question plagued his mind, and he wrestled with the meaning of it. He truly believed that it was him and him alone who had changed the world, how could it be possible for anyone else to do what he had done? He toiled, he dedicated time and he refused the temptations of the world that could have driven any other man mad. Why would it be wrong to take pride in his own ability?
He wanted to voice his pride, he wanted to let them know that the world had changed because of him. But maybe it was because he accepted his own success that he allowed his perspective to change. Before bragging and cheering, he realized why he had felt it was wrong to boast pridefully. Not because what he did wasn’t great. It wasn’t because he didn’t believe in his own individual ability. No, it was because he believed he was no more capable than anyone else.
Not a single person can claim the right of being unique, he originally thought contrary but now he understood. Whether that fact brings you dread or not, it is true. The highest mountain I can climb can be climbed by another. The skill I master can be mastered by someone else. Voice, beliefs, hopes, dreams, Who doesn’t have a slew of those, can you really claim that out of every other person in the world, you’ve got a single one that no one else has?
We are not unique. To many people it hurts. I want to excel, I want to shine, I want my individuality to be known by others. If I’m not unique, how can those things come true? Accepting that we aren’t any more special than others could saddle us with more weight than we can handle, we’d break under our own insignificance.
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To him, that realization brought only a warm smile to his lips. If he was not unique, if it was true that what he had done could be done by others, he could only feel thankful. Somewhere, someday, someone will see the world that he saw. Someone will know what he knew and someone… will wish for what he wished. To him, this belief became another pillar for his strength. Knowing that even if he could not touch them, even if he could not see them, the very fact that one day there’d be someone to share what at one point he believed to be uniquely his was enough.
So why boast? It was unnecessary. He did not desire the envy of others, and he did not desire to indulge in the greatness of his own ability. He would continue forward with his goal steadfastly and without hesitation.
And when it came time to reach that goal, he was met with failure. Perhaps it was because of his steadfast belief in the future that he could so calmly understand his own flaws at the very end instead of cursing the world.
Although his life was great, he still had a single regret. Before the light of his life dimmed, he imagined just once more that distant figure who carried the same dreams he had. And just once, he wished for something that his own hands couldn’t reach.
Their Interlude
Although he would never blame us, there wasn’t a single one of us without guilt.
Anyone could tell how firm he was. And even though there was no one who could match him, he never grew disappointed. He was a star.
We were raised to believe that the world around us was deserving of reverence.
The countless examples of good in the world and in our lives was our reason to continue, as long as we had those examples we could do good by others. And oh, how he spoke of good.
The countless examples of bad in the world and in our lives was our reason to not stop, as long as we had those examples we could understand why not to do bad by others. And he spoke of evil, not distant but close and ever-present.
The good pulled us forwards, the bad pushed us forwards. And in the far distance was a man who stopped needing a reason to walk, simply moving forward of his own accord.
Where we were bound, he was free.
So many paths, so many different walks of life. There had been no time to do it all, a meager lie to ourselves until he showed us it was not true. All the pleasures of life, they could be enjoyed in a single life to their utmost! And he danced amongst the truth, gracefully.
We gave him a reason to stop.
So far in the distance, he turned back to us. His eyes filled with warmth reached out his hand. He became just another of the countless examples in the world that pulled us forwards.
It was because of that kindness that he died. Because he wished for others to reach where he was.
Why? Why couldn’t he have stayed the infallible solitary figure in the distance?
If only we hadn’t existed, he would have been able to stay who he was.
So there will be no forgiveness.
Because we tainted that purity, our hatred is palpable. Because we saw his end, our grief is unimaginable. And because of the kindness that he gave us, we will not stop. We won’t, we can’t. Even though we were never what he was searching for, he still left us with his dream. He believed that even us who didn’t meet his expectations would pass it forward, endlessly, until someone who did arrived.
If there ever comes a time where someone sees what he saw, all we ask is that we are delivered the judgment that we deserve. For us who dared to look upon purity and taint it with our eyes, we have committed an abhorrent sin.
So please, judge us. Look down upon us, detest us. Spot our faults and strike them from our flesh. Show us something untold, so that we may again know that we are fools.
We will wait endlessly until that time comes. So please, you who exists in the unimaginable future, please, find us.