The Cave

The cave was a lonely place. It was tucked back in the side of the cliff, on the side of an insurmountable mountain. On the base of the mountain a dense impenetrable forest grew. No paths lead to the mountain and no way could be found to scale the cliff face. Yet within the cave lived a man. He lived a solitary life. He had been there for many years now. In the mornings he came to the front of the cave and watched as the sun rose, for the cave opening faced the rising orb. In the evening, he sat in the same place as the shadows rose and the darkness came to the cave.

This hermit had not spoken aloud for all the years he had lived in the cave, for there was no one to speak to. Having not seen another person in all that time, he no longer missed human contact. One morning he arose and he made his way to the cave opening, as he had done many times before. There, siting facing the rising sun was another man. The hermit was startled, but he moved to a place along side the new visitor and sat down, waiting for the morning light. After his meditation, he arose and began his return to the cave. The new tenant turned to him and spoke, "Where are you going? Don't you want to talk. I have just got here."

Again the hermit was startled and did not know how to react. He looked back at the man. What was he to do? He shrugged his shoulders and sat back down, but since he was so unfamiliar with speaking and conversation, he just sat there. After awhile, he decided he had sat long enough and he arose again to return to the cave, so he could continue his daily routine. As before, he rose and moved toward the entrance of the cave. As before, the visitor spoke to him, "Where is it that you are going? I really want to visit with you? Why do you insist on running off?"

This time though the hermit ignored the man and continued with what he had planned. He entered the cave and performed his daily tasks. As the end of the day neared, he returned to the cave entrance so that he could view the setting of the sun and the coming of the shadows. The visitor was still sitting on the edge of the cliff, just as he was in the morning. This time he ignored the hermit and neither looked at him nor spoke to him. The cave dweller sat down, as he had done every day, quietly watched as the shadows climbed up the cliff and filled the cave.

After a while he turned to his guest, smiled and said the first words he had uttered in many years, "You do realize there is no possible way for you to have come to be sitting outside this cave, just as there is no way for me to me here. Have you even considered that?"