Belief’s Adventure

There once was a group of people that possessed this thing called Belief: not your ordinary belief or some half-belief, but pure, honest-to-goodness Belief. They knew what they stood for, and they actually stood up to it. They didn’t just boast in it, but they were convicted by it. They truly lived it.

Together they traveled to a place called Fear: an ominous island, shrouded in menacing clouds and surrounded by murky waters. Not many had dared to attempt the voyage before, and fewer still returned home to tell the tales. Regardless, they went forth, resolute in purpose. Their ship lurched in the smallest of waves and was nearly capsized by the largest. They knew the reputation of this place called Fear, and it did in fact cause them tremors, but they were not afraid. Steadfast, they clung to Belief, and they made their way to shore.

What awaited them there was a man named Laughter: chief over the village of people that lived there. He was quite the rambunctious sort, one minute cackling in a fit of humor, and the next as silent as the grave. He was frightening to look in the eyes, for some sort of madness hid behind them. The men, however, pleased him greatly. He was overjoyed to have guests on his island, and he treated them with the utmost respect. Altogether they spent the night, feasting and dancing, amused by the hilarious roars of Laughter. The men sat by the fire and shared their reasons for coming, the source of such Belief.

When morning came, he led them up a mountain known as Doubt: a steep and jagged crag, riddled with caves and cliffs. The chief told stories of incidents long ago, and some not so long ago. All of them included someone falling, all of them included someone lost, and none of them told of someone found. The men’s eyes shifted, constantly darting about the path. They didn’t trust their surroundings or even the ledges beneath their feet. Nevertheless, they pressed onward, following where they were led. Frequently they paused, clutching hands in prayer, asking for security, for deliverance. And though they were overshadowed by Doubt, they carried on with Belief.

Eventually, the chief crouched into a cave that had been christened Confusion: a dark black place, teeming with predators and uncertain passageways. Their sole light was the torch held by the chief, and they were fixated on its glow in every sense of the word. Sounds seemed to resonate from all sides, but their sources could never be seen. Predators lurked in the shadows, impressing their terror on the men. Physically they went untouched but psychologically they were tantalized. Their spirits were sucked into a battle of Confusion that was only won by Belief.

At last, they passed through an opening in the cave and into the place of Mystery: an indescribable sight something like a jungle or a garden, but whose wildlife flowed like honey and glowed like the sun. The men were entirely awestruck, jaws dropped by what their eyes beheld. They could hardly begin to absorb the beauty that this place contained, and they could explain absolutely none of it. The fauna roamed peaceably, intermingling in delight. The flora sprouted gloriously, intertwining with wonder. And although the men could not fathom such Mystery, they accepted every inch of it, with Belief.

Only then did the men return to their ship, labeled appropriately by the three letters on its hull: Joy. The men could hardly contain themselves with all the excitement they felt. They couldn’t wait to share everything that had happened to them with every single person that they met. They had confronted Fear, experienced Laughter, overcome Doubt, bested Confusion, beheld Mystery, and returned in Joy. All of these things they did by Belief.