Hidden in Plain Sight

This is an old American folk tale.  Enjoy!

John S. Nagy

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 A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.

"What sort of people live in the next town?" asked the stranger.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.

"They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I'm happy to be leaving the scoundrels."

"Is that so?" replied the old farmer. "Well, I'm afraid that you'll find the same sort in the next town.

Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.

Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. "What sort of people live in the next town?" he asked.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer once again.

"They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm sorry to be leaving them."

"Fear not," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."

Morals of the Story:

1. Your worst enemy is self-ignorance.  Know Thyself!
2. Your baggage owns you.  Divest!
3. You create your own lessons.  Learn Daily!
4. You get what you expect.  See Differently!
5. No matter where you go, there you are.  Escape is Futile!
6. When you want different, be different!  Transform!

 

A Brother Asks... Why Allegory?

 

A Brother Asks: Why is Allegory used within Ritual?

My Response: It is used because it is the Primary Method used throughout history to convey Theological and Philosophical Principles and Concepts.  Such training is invaluable in laying a foundation for future studies of Ancient and Modern Theological and Philosophical Literature.
 

He Continues:  Why Train to Understand it?

My Response: It is the primary challenge and obstacle presented to and faced by anyone making effort to decode what has been encoded in languages long forgotten and things conveyed today that are masked, veiled, concealed and hidden.  Its use has side benefits and annoying side effects.

He Continues:  What are its side benefits?

My Response: It is an extremely effective method of cleverly masking, secretly veiling, carefully concealing and blatantly hiding valuable information in plain sight.

He Continues:  What is its annoying side effect?

My Response: Unskilled and ignorant individuals usually make more of it than it is ever meant to convey and use it as an excuse to:

1. Create huge organizations of people who expend inordinate amounts of time, energy and other resources chasing mythical creatures for sacrifice,
2. Build expensive imaginary cages that are believed to hold them temporarily once caught, and
3. Create accurate historically veiled accounts of their imaginary exploits for posterity.

He Continues:  What makes Allegory fun?

 

My Response: Did you not read my last Response?

He Continues:  What makes Allegory interesting?

 

My Response: It invites curious minds to embrace contrasting information and to dig deeper to cultivate insights into things, issues and situations that require them to transcend what might appear contradictory at first.

F&S,

Brother John S. Nagy