The little boy and the mystery inside old man’s cardboard box.

The little boy jumps from mud pool to mud pool. The earth, washed after the rain makes the boy bubble with joy. His face radiates happiness.

He looks down the road. An old man is appearing slowly from the dip. First, his head appears and then a massive square shaped object. The little boy is fascinated. He keeps his eyes on the old man. As the man struggles closer, he can see the man is awkwardly carrying a cardboard box. The box is heavy and the man suffers under the load. His face muscles are knotted in tiredness, drawn into an expression of agony.

The boy often sees people going past with their boxes. Men, woman and even young children slowly traveling and clutching their boxes, as if though it needs protection from friend and foe. The people just sleep walk, one foot in front of the other.

The boy constantly speaks to them, but they never answer. Some just mumble and grumble and it sounds like must continue on this road," Others just grunt, as they struggle to look over the edge of the box trying to keep an eye on the uneven road.

"Dear sir you carry a heavy load, who's stuff is it?" The boy asks when the man reaches him.

"This is my stuff" the man replied.

What is in the box, the boy asked?

The man thinks for a while and said....

"I have no clue."

His voice strains against the weight.

The boy is delighted that the man actually spoke to him.

"And what wondrous treasures do you have sir? Please won't you show me?"

The old man sniggers "To tell you the truth young man, I don't know what is in my box"

The boy answers, You're kidding me"

He succeeds in drawing a slight smile on the old man's face.

"I kid you not my child; I do not know what's in the box other than that is my stuff. I need it for my journey"

"And where dear sir, are you going to? Asks the boy, looking puzzled.

"Mmmmm" says the old man. "Actually to tell you the truth I also don't have the answer to that riddle"

"Sir" the boy says seriously.

"Won't you please come and sit down with me and share my bread and sweet fountain water. Please sir, take a load off. Let's open your cardboard box and let me see all the treasures you collected and let me hear of all your fantastic adventures"

The man sighs, clutches his box and says

"Maybe some other time young friend, but I need to push on"

"Why?" The boy asks, "Why must you continue without any rest?"

The old man sighs, "Because child, somewhere on the road is my happiness. I will find my happiness when I get there."

"Where Sir? Where will you find your happiness?"

"I don't know" the man says, "all I know is that it is somewhere on this journey"

"Do you need to carry that box with you to the destiny of your happiness sir?"

"Yes the man says, it is my stuff?"

"Sir why don't you just pause a second and look inside the box. Please sir, and I am embarrassed to say that I am extremely curious about the contents of your box.

I have seen so many people struggling past here. And never would anyone show me what they have. They are always too busy going somewhere with their loads."

The man hesitates and slows down.

"Why sir" asks the boy "Is your box in such good condition"

The man replies tiredly "I instinctively protect this box with all my might. I must confess, you have me curious as well. Why don't we have a look?"

The little boy jumps with joy.

Like children on Christmas Eve, they eagerly open the box. They struggle with the folded flaps and suddenly it pops open.

A stench that reminds one of death rushes out of the box. The boy gasps. Even the old man looks astounded.

"What is it?" the little boy says, "I don't think I've ever seen anything so ugly and repulsive in my life"

He stares at the blobs of black ooze that shivers with an evil life of it's own inside the box. A chill of disgust runs down his spine.

"I don't know" the man says now looking disgusted himself.

He picks up one of the objects, and says in surprise,

"This one here is marked as regret. Regret of all the things I wanted to do, and never did."

He carefully places it back in the box.  "Look!" the little boy says, "it just grew a bit"

Another black entity slivers around in the box. The man grasps it and lifts it out with effort.

"Guilt" he says looking pale.

"Guilt from what and where" the little boy asks.

"The guilt from my past" the old man says. "Here is the part where my mother told me I will not amount to anything. And this part here is where I started accusing myself of being worthless"

"Did you do a lot of wrong doing in your life sir?" the boy asks.

"No the man says" I cannot think that I ever deliberately harmed any living thing. It seems I collected this guilt from what I believe.

"This here seems to be the time I had a fight with my father.

And, this one is when I failed my sums in grade two.

And this ugly one is me, feeling sorry for myself."

Brrrr the boy shivers. "I don't understand sir, why would one collect and burden oneself with this kind of stuff?"

"We are raised to think it is expected of us," says a strange warm voice.

The old man jumps in fright. The boy smiles "Hello Grandmother" he says.

The stranger looks up at the new arrival. She is old and wise but radiates youthful energy. The man starts to close the box.

"Don't close your box sir, let's look deeper into it." She says smilingly. Cautiously the man opens the box again.

He says. "I cannot stay much longer. Just look at all the pilgrims passing me on the road."Relax" says the woman. "They will come through here again. They always do. They are walking aimlessly in circles."

The man looks unsure and says, "I sense I need to push on, let me grab my load and continue on my journey"

"Sir I implore you let us first look at the other stuff in your box. I think we can help you to make your journey a lot easier and lighter if you just take the time to look at the contents of your burden."

Reluctantly the man puts his box down on the grass again.

"Do you know this stuff grandmother?" the boy asks.

"Yes child, Grandma knows this stuff. I call it the silly stuff of life. Maybe I should not call it silly, for this silly stuff, is held in high esteem by most people. It has great attraction power. It draws unto itself premature ageing and death. And if the carrier does not take care, it will eventually rub off on the person looking after it."

A dark sick green almost black entity slivers in the box. "What's that the old man asks?"

"This" the woman says "is called a habit. This one here is for smoking. It comes in two parts, a small part called addiction and the large part called habit. Together they keep the carrier in bondage for tobacco. This creature, however does not only spring to life from chemicals, it is also created if anything is done or used repeatedly, and the person no longer lives without this repetition."

"And this one here is hatred" says the old woman, "look how it sucks the life from this poor man."

"This stinky one is blame, all the blame this man gave to others for what is wrong in his life. Look son, how it is making his eyes dull to all the opportunities. Here's one when a friend told him, he is fat"

"And this one..." A desperate cry from the man interrupts her words.

"Please, please! Dear Lady, what should I do?" He sobs.

"Just leave the box here", the woman replies, "And all of this dark weight will just evaporate the moment you stop caring for it"

"I can't do that," the old man says. "I need it"

He grunts as he picks up his box.

"Sir" the young boy cries in desperation

"Why do you need that weight on your shoulders?" Why Sir? Why? What value does it bring into your life?" "Do you and the others who carry burdens, enjoy it?"

The old man just shook his head aimlessly and sadly replies, "I don't know, son". He disappears over the hill.

The story can end here. It is up to you.

The boy raises his arms, and drinks in the sun. With a joyful glow, he closes his eyes. To his delight, he hears the old man say,

"Son, what is it that makes your life so carefree?"

The boy answers, "I am always here Sir, here in the now. My happiness is right here within me.

Always!

Not somewhere in the future and not a memory from the past. My purpose Sir, is just to feel good. What value can self inflicted suffering bring to life?"

The man listens to the boy in awe. His glazed eyes start to sparkle with life.

"Sir, do you not notice that I carry no load. I have no guilt or hang-ups of inferiority. If you can feel it in your body sir, you can experience it.

Many others tried to tell our people they are burden free. No one believed the prophets of God.

People tie themselves down with all kinds of burdens.

Why?

Why do they carry with them, stuff that brings no value?

Who sir told you, you are not worthy?

Why sir, did you believe them?

Please Sir, let it go. Give no resistance and then you will glide through life, not even needing positive thoughts. You will be free Sir. You will be able to say as I can, "I am". Do not become sir, BE.

As the old man drops the box, it gives a weak scream and evaporates in the sun.

The old man suddenly becomes younger. His posture straightens up. The boy smiles widely and he shouts, "Oh Daddy it's so good to see you again!"