IsaacR

= =   The Parable of the Two Fallen Travelers Once, there was a wandering group of travelers. They traveled from town to town, not doing much of anything but wandering. One day, they were traveling along as usual, walking to the next town. Before long the travelers came across a huge forest. This forest was notorious for its dangerous traps that had been laid during a recent war. However, being travelers, the group did not receive much information and had no idea just how dangerous the forest was. The dangers unbeknownst to them, they simply decided they would walk straight through the forest, as it would be the fastest way to the next town. In a matter of minutes their grave mistake was realized. Two of the travelers that were at the back of the group fell into a gigantic hole, around 15 feet deep. Realizing that the forest was extremely dangerous, they decided to turn back after saving the other members. They tried a variety of methods, but nothing seemed to work. The town they had left from was far behind and the next town was many miles away, it was impossible to get help in time without the two members starving to death. All the while the two members were desperately trying to jump and claw their way back to the top of the ditch. Soon, the travelers saw the futility of their situation. They started yelling down the hole and telling them to give up. They waved their hands up and down and said that it was just better for them to die a peaceful death. Eventually, with all the things the other travelers were saying, one of the travelers lost his resolve, curled up in a corner and died. However, the other person, seemingly ignoring the others’ frantic waving and yelling to give up, continued trying extremely hard to reach the top. Amazingly after many hours, he somehow managed to climb out of the hole, scraped and bruised, but otherwise relatively unhurt. No one could conceal his or her astonishment. They all started shouting congratulations. Soon it was discovered why the man had managed to muster the determination to climb out. He was deaf, and had thought that their frantic hand motions and yelling had been encouragement for him to climb out, instead of shouts to give up. The two men in the hole are the two ways in which a person can be influenced, and group of travelers shouting are the people that influence lives. One negative comment can destroy a person’s will, making them give up. On the other hand, encouragement will allow them to become better and push themselves to new limits.