With Every Wind

‘The Christian ideal,’ it is said,
‘has not been tried and found wanting,
it has been found difficult and left untried’
-G. K. Chesterton

Deeply I slept, and while in this deep slumber I had a strange dream.
In my dream I was a wanderer traveling through a land like I had never seen. Before me stretched a steep path that wound upward as far as eye could see. The path led to so great a palace that no mere words could describe the sheer wonder of its opulence. And surrounding this magnificent castle was a city, complementary of its centerpiece. Every road was well paved, every citizen was well fed, and not in a hundred years had even so much as a pin ever been stolen.
It was in this place that the king of the realm was to hold a banquet worthy of so great a city and had accordingly invited all to come and enjoy the great feast.
So with the low morning sun warm on my back I started forward, full of excitement and eager to peer into every part of the city. So enthusiastic was I about this, that as I journeyed upward I could not refrain from hailing a fellow traveler coming toward me and persuade him to turn around.
“Have you not heard about the great feast to be held in the king’s palace?”
“Indeed I have.” Said he.
“Then” I asked, “are you not going to attend?”
The man looked at me with a quizzed expression.
“Why of course, in fact I am headed there this very instance.”
This I did not understand so my next question was meant to clear up my confusion.
“How is it then that you travel down toward certain destruction by wild animals or bandits.”
At this the traveler began to laugh and then walked closer to put his arm around my shoulders.
“Dear wanderer,” he answered “how is it that you have such twisted views about your journey. How is it that no one has yet confronted you about the truth? You point upward toward the distance and say the city is there but it is not I assure you. Up there is barren land full of caves where danger lurks at every corner. No, it is down that you must go to get to your destination.”
Having said that he clapped me on the back and as he walked away I could hear him chuckling while he repeated the word ‘upward’ to himself. There stood I, confused and lost. How could this man be right? And yet, because he sounded so sure of himself in the end I felt he could not have been wrong. Deciding that the man I had so fortunately met was too pleasant, too nice, and too knowledgeable to be wrong I continued my wonderings, opposite that which I started. Rejoicing in my good fortunes I found the walk easier going downward to the city. Convinced in my mind about my headings I again hailed a traveler as I saw him coming from a distance. “Good sir what is your name that I might persuade you to turn your course and head toward the great city.” I shouted to make sure he heard and thus was not surprised when he walked up to me and offer his hand. “My name is Pilgrim and I am walking toward the great city of my king. A city so much greater than yours that they cannot be compared.” I must say that I again was greatly confused and opened my mouth to speak but Pilgrim continued. “You can came to this wonderful city as well, all you have to do is turn around and walk toward it.” I turn to look off into the distance to where he was pointing, but of course saw nothing. When I turned back to Pilgrim he was no longer standing beside me. Only a glance was needed to tell me that he had continued his pilgrimage upward to the city. Again, as I thought this matter over all doubt was erased from my mind for I could see no way that a man named Pilgrim might be wrong about his headings. So I was inclined once more to turn and work my way up toward the great city.
My wonderings were tiring. The path upward was always steep. And the sun, hugging the early morning ground when I started, was now getting higher in the midday sky. It was then no surprise that I should stop and take a short rest.
I did so and was not seated for more then two minutes when a group of young boys came down the path. Loud and boisterous were they, each bragging of some evil deed they had committed in history past. Seeing me on the ground they started to laugh and point. Full of righteous anger I confronted them instantly with the truth of the matter. “Fellow travelers” said I. “Fellow travelers, have you no thought for the morrow? Do you not know where you headed? Do you not know that continuing in the way you are you will surely walk right into a lion’s den and thus into an assured extinction? But gather round and hear, for my advice is this, turn and head for the great feast at the end of this steep, ungainly path.” At this they laughed even harder then before. “Old man,” said they “what king in his right mind would build his city on so high and difficult a hill? No sir, we will not go the other way only to tire ourselves out and then find that there is nothing on the desolate top.” Laughing some more they walked on down the hill. This engagement left me even more tired then before so I stayed where I was to gather my strength thereby equipping myself to once more pick up the pace I had left off. As I lay basking in the early afternoon sun my mind began to think. If I were a king and I wanted to have my subjects visit, surely the best place would be at the bottom of this forsaken mountain so the journey would not be difficult. The more I lay the more I thought. And the more I thought the more sense it made to me to travel downward. Rested, I got up and walked down the path. Oh yes, this had to be the way, walking down the steep path was much easier then attempting to reach the top. And as I went the easier rout, I wondered how it was that I had not come to think of this much sooner. No matter, I was well on my way for once and I was also eager to meet another wandering soul that I might share with him what I had learned and point him also in the correct way. My hopes came sooner then I had anticipated for soon I saw a solitary stranger slowly climbing up the hillside. Walking up to him I at once gave him a hand and pulled him up to where I stood. I began at immediately. “Dear weary traveler come and listen to what I have to say. Many hours have I spent on this here path, and many a folk have I been chanced to meet, so hear now my voice and heed it well. This mighty and great feast that is to be held at the king’s palace is at the bottom of this mountain.” The man looked at me and slowly shook his head. “No wanderer, this palace is there at the top.”
“Oh but it can’t be, my friend, listen to persuading words and be convinced to turn around. What king wanting a giant feast would build on top of so high a mountain? Would not the better place be at the bottom where it is easy to get to?” Thinking that now I had him sure of my ways I was greatly surprised when he again spoke to the contrary. “This king wants only those who are devoted enough to him to climb even this long and difficult mountain. Come with me up this path and we will talk over what I have told you to assure you of this truth.” Politely I declined the offer, I can think all the clearer when all alone. And so we parted, he kept going with his walk, but I stayed where we had met to ponder in my mind what he said. Then I decided to go upward. Again I had to travel up the steep path. But to me it was no matter. I was on my way up to the king’s party.
As I walked on the sun beat down from where it shone. There was a slight breeze, which held on to the tops of the trees. But since the breeze was light it did nothing to counter the sun’s heat. In no time I had worked up a sweat and had to stop often to wipe my forehead and wait for my breath to catch up. It was during one of these pauses that I met yet another man who was traveling downward. It was him who started this conversation. “What ho wanderer, have you not heard of the king’s great feast?” I assured him that not only had I heard about it but was currently on my way to his palace. “What, you’re going up hill to get to it?” he asked incredibly. “Why yes of course” I replied in kind “for that’s the only way to get there.” At this he chuckled “you mean to say you’ve been there before?”
“Well no sir but I heard it was up this way.” I must say, at this time I was beginning to wonder if going upwards was the correct way. “So then how do you know to go this way?” was his next question.
My reply was doubtful “I heard it from other travelers.”
“And had they ever been there?”
I was beginning to see his point
“No.”
“Then why would you listen to them?”
“They seemed to know what they were talking about.”
“Seemed huh, well I don’t know about you but I’ll go there my way, it’s at least the easiest.”
His point was well taken and as he left I turned my head to look down the path he had taken, then turned to look back up.
The sun was indeed hot, the breeze as good as gone, and the road up was long, steep and difficult.
Mopping my forehead I turn and walked downward.


As my dream continued I saw what looked to be a high mountain. And I saw it as the sun or the moon must see it. I saw on the mountain men. Some were walking down the mountain where great wild animals were waiting. Some were walking up to a great city on the top. And one was going in great circles. Sometimes up, sometimes down. And yet, as I watched I could see him going steadily downward.