Pain always precedes pleasure

Amongst the carnival of people walking along the well trodden path, there was a boy who was very curious by nature. He would ask, why do we do this, why do we breathe, where are we going, what is the final destination. Often his answers were similar to "cause many people have followed this path and so we do too, no one has seen the destination but we all hope that it will be the light that leads to eternity and peace. Due to the innocence of age, the answers seemed good enough for him and he plodded along merrily along side the others. As age mounted on him, his curiosity grew even more. He wondered if the path was the right one or there are many paths to the light. Why people hesitate to wander and explore. Why the fear? Elders around him scoffed at him, when he wanted to voice his mind and questions. 

One day his curiosity to wander knew no bounds and he went for a walk despite all the warnings from everyone. He wandered deep into the forest and came across a lake. The lake was the most beautiful lake unlike anything he had ever seen. It gleamed in the sun and as he watched he noticed a bright light inside it. A light which just by sight gave a sense of calmness and peace. It dawned on him that this is the light they were talking about. But how to reach it. He spent many days by the lake wondering how to reach it. In this time of solitude, his mind many times told him to go back and join those on the path, but it was difficult for he had seen the light. How could he walk away from it. Slowly his fears in the mind silenced and then he began perceiving the world around him like never before. He understood the language of the earth, the birds, the small insects that he never even saw before, as his mind was too preoccupied with his own sense of self. He began conversing with the wind and the rain. 

One day he asked them, how can I get to the light? They said, this lake is no ordinary lake. It is the lake of emotions, to stir it up would be a folly for very few have survived it. But stirring it is the only way to release the light. First many toxic fumes are released which will envelop the air in bitterness, if you breathe them, your mind will be filled with hatred, anger and all that destroys oneself. So beware!

He understood that it was no easy task. He still could go back to the path, but he stayed. He prepared himself to disturb the lake and face what comes. As he threw a pebble in the lake, nothing happened for a few moments. He just saw ripples on the surface. "That was easy!" he thought to himself. Then he lay waiting. Soon he was drowsy and fell asleep. As he slept, he failed to see that bubbles arose from the depths of the lake, which had many dark colors. They joined the air as fumes and he was breathing them. He woke up with a jolt and felt wrath inside him. He could not tolerate the pungent putrid odor. Anger welled up and his mind wanted to destroy everything in sight. But then he remembered and promised himself he will not act. He will feel everything but will never translate it to action. He waited, while his mind toiled, tossed and turned, making him suffer like never before. He went through bouts of depression, solitude engulfed him, the need to return grew strong as he began repenting why he ever came this way. He began cursing himself and blamed fate for his misfortune for he was suffering now. Again he waited, he knew it will pass. All will pass. He remembered how wonderful it was on the path, known people, known destination and now here he was alone and wretched. He waited.

Slowly after a few years, his mind calmed down and spoke no more of evil and hate. He realised he had absorbed them into him. He could have easily passed them on to someone else. But he chose to absorb them and end them within himself. He waited. He soon noticed that the color of the fumes had changed again and now they were light shades of the sky and for the first time after many years, he could smell a fragrance in the air. A fragrance that was sweet and filled him with a positive feeling. The light inside the well grew brighter and brighter as the days passed. He waited, now in bliss, with no thought to fight. 

One day as the light rose to the surface, it was so bright that he could not look at it. It engulfed everything around including him. He felt happiness and tranquility beyond all. He felt weightless and all his wants and needs left him. The light then went back into the lake. There were no signs of the man around. He had joined those who had found their destination. 

Even to this day, people talk about him on the path. "Oh that fool who asked alot of questions, yes...I remember him, he left one day and no one saw him again. Must have died of hunger and loneliness. So now you see kid, if you want to reach your destination, better stay on the path."