Ground zero. There was nothing created yet. Of course, the Lord God was there, since He is existence itself, but there wasn't someone to know Him, receive His love, and love Him back. And the Lord God created a man from the earth. He made them to be both man and woman, so that they could complete one another in love. God commanded them to walk in His truth, but they decided they knew better. "We are humans," they said, and they went wandering in human ways. Eventually, they became a father and a mother, and quite a few generations went by until I arrived. Being a child, I always thought of myself as number one, the most important. Care surrounded me. The whole world around me was singing a chorus: "We love you!" Growing up, I found out that everyone cares for himself most of the time; some people that assured me of their love before now didn't care. I had to seek love on my own. And I started on the journey to find the true love that does not change with time. Years went by. I've heard I love you many times, which activated my existence, but only for a short time. Though my journey was arduous, it indeed had high points. Some were treasures, like happiness, approval, and greatness. I touched the wealth this world had to offer and felt loved, but those experiences evaporated so fast for some reason! I wish and conclude that I need to find the location of all those treasures. Once I see it, I will not wrestle with life anymore or strain myself daily to make ends meet. That wealth would make my life worth living! Caught up in my imagination, I didn't notice a big stone in the middle of the road where I walked and fell right upon it. My body was hurting all over. I laid there miserable, sighing from pain. It was getting late, and I couldn't recognize where I was. Who would locate me here now? I tried to make some signals for help but could only come up with more groaning. I had to hurry to figure out something on the spot. Suddenly, the surrounding darkness was illuminated by an approaching flashlight, and I heard a voice right above my head: "Oh! Another one. Those poor travelers." I understood that I wasn't the first to get into this incident. "Why wouldn't you remove this stone out of the way," I shouted with all my leftover strength. The stranger was neither surprised nor offended by my anger. "Believe me, we tried," he responded calmly. "And not just one. In fact, in every generation, at least one champion travels to this place and attempts to lift this stone, but none of them can do it. They all get exhausted trying. Anyway, let me take care of you," he continued, “sympathizing with me. How do you estimate your hurt? Do you need to be hospitalized? We have a regional hospital nearby." It didn't sound to me like a good idea. I imagined myself in a hospital room hermetically sealed from the rest of the world: homogenous beds, sheets, dishes, clothing, nothing personal. What would a personality like me do there? And besides that, meals in a regional hospital are intended to fatten patients like animals. There will be moaning and sorrow on each face. I will never be able to get used to such an atmosphere! "No, no. I don't want to be hospitalized!" I announced my decision. "All right," continued the man patiently. "Another option for you would be to visit our hostel. It's a humble lodging with simple food, but we would be happy for you to be our guest. In the past, we hosted many noble personalities simply because of the proximity of this famous stone." "Okay, sure," I agreed. It sounded to me like my best option. He helped me get up, and we slowly went to the hostel. It happened to be nearby. Entering, I saw the name on the door: "Human Inn." "What a strange name," I thought to myself as I read it very slowly, as I was just learning the letters. "Come, dinner is ready," called the man. "You are the guest of honor tonight." I was starving, but trying not to appear a glutton, I started a conversation: "So, this hostel is your job?" "Oh, no! I only volunteer here to help hurt travelers like you. I work in a bakery that belongs to a Human storehouse around the corner." My dream was coming true in front of my eyes. I got speechless for a few minutes, then asked, "Can you show me this storehouse?" "You really want to see it?" "Yes!" "Okay," he agreed. "But only once." I quickly swallowed my food, and we went out the door into the dark of the night. Suddenly he said: "You are right there, inside the Storehouse." "But I can't see anything!" "Wait, I will turn on the light. Here we are." I looked around. It looked like a storage place that I've seen many times in different places, nothing special. It even looked familiar to me. There were packages all over. "It's not that hard to understand, but it might appear confusing when you see everything at once," started the man. "Everything here belongs to mankind. There are different departments, and each of them has its unique characteristics. You can find anything you wish in abundance: noblesse, glorification, happiness, and approval. Here is a chance to become a general. There are plenty of lusts and cravings like gluttony, fist fighting, ambush, battles, enforcement, rape, and violence." And we went from shelf to shelf. "Come, see over here," he continued. "There are many different associations and organizations you can join. You may become certified and either confirm the ideas of others or forbid them to do things they want. You may collect items, run to meetings, or lead an assembly. There are a lot of gray colors available, enough for every human. By the way, in attempts to extend their beauty, some people put on bright makeup. We got plenty of that stuff. Here is your citizenship, character, personality, lexicon, and so on." Everything in that place illustrated the life I knew, the life that was so familiar. I couldn't restrain myself any longer, so I asked, "What about the losses and sorrows, disappointments, threats, offenses, guilt, and misery?" He shook his head. "They are also here, right over there." And he pointed to a shelf in a corner. I looked closer. They were not single packages like the rest of them. They were encircling something else. "Those don't come alone," the man continued. "They come in pairs. For example, every disappointment contains a challenge within it. Or courage: Why would you need it if you are not facing a threatening situation? Or inner stability: To learn it, you have to experience offenses, which rock your boat, then you would see the difference and make your choices. Because you need to know the one in context to the other, they come wrapped together. All those occur interwoven with lots of strengthening and recovery." For a minute, he forgot that I was standing next to him. He closed his eyes and started to cite an old piece of poetry: "A time to weep and a time to laugh, A time to mourn and a time to dance, A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, A time to embrace and a time to refrain." "You see," he said, "everything in human life has its match. This one, for example: 'To lose and to gain package' humans use it the most. Every time they decide between any two options, they lose the one to gain the other." He started to walk away but suddenly stopped, pointing at one of the packages: "Look over here!" he said. "This is a funny one: 'A fast and slow package.' As humans run through life, there are always those who run faster in front of them and those who are behind them. People advise each other to slow down but individually continue to hasten forward, envying those in front of them, fearing getting lost." Puzzled, I stopped at the Human Storehouse door and suddenly remembered my journey's purpose. "What about THE true love," I asked the man. "I didn't see it here." "It's not here," he responded. "It's in a different location, in the domain of the Creator Himself. The true love wasn't created, since it's the essence of God." How can I reach it then? I wondered. "Faith is the only match for the true love. Your faith in His word will bring you into a different domain, called God's kingdom. There you will know the true love: its unlimited power, its grandeur, its glorious beauty. All you saw in the Human Storehouse will one day cease to exist. It will burn in the fire and become dust and ashes. Time will stop. The world we know today will come to ground zero again, and only that found in God's domain will remain. It's a glorious location - a place of honor, filled with marvelous light!" "Only the noble people are allowed there, then?" I uttered and looked down. "Not at all! He assured me. "You don't have to be special in any way. Just believe that God is true and that he really meant what He said. Faith is such a simple path that even a little child will walk on it without getting lost. Look! It's straight ahead of you!" He smiled and added, "At this point, you have seen everything offered to men. Now, you continue your journey, and I must hurry to open my bakery, for every traveler that stops in our 'Human Inn' wants to enjoy a fresh piece of pastry for breakfast."  

From early childhood and all through my school years, home life was the safest place for me. I would run there, hiding from danger Of course, my perception of danger changed as I was growing up, but there was always a secure place to escape - home. And there came a day when even final exams were finally over. The school director's last words sounded like this: "Make sure you don't waste your lives! Express yourselves and make a difference in this world!" I started walking out. The school guard was, as usual, idly standing at the gate, kicking the dust. "So, what's next," he asked me when I walked past him. "I'll think of something," I answered and continued to walk away. On the way home, I stopped at the playground and sat next to a little boy, playing with bubbles. I looked at him and said: "Yea, now it's your time. I also had fun with bubbles before, but now I'm mature and serious. I have to manage on my own. I should go far away from my parents' house to feel independent." Surprisingly the boy answered me with a most serious expression on his little face. "My father says that a man can learn a lot about life playing with soap bubbles. And by the way, he also says that to live independently as an adult, you need to earn money!" "Good idea. What do you think I should do?" "Well, my father says you should do what you are good at; use your natural talent." I could only think of my one most outstanding feature. "I can tell hilarious jokes and make everybody laugh. Can that be a job?" "My father says that whatever brings you money is a job." "You're right. What a clever idea! A job as a comedian! What can be better than being on stage in sparkling light, owning an audience's admiration?" And I got up to go. "Are you going to pay me for that smart advice?" the boy asked, blowing his bubbles at me. "To pay? Look at you. You are a kid! You've got to be kidding!" I put my hand on his shoulder and approved, "that was a good joke!" I went to check some information, and sure enough, a place was available in the other part of the country. "I want to be independent," I reminded myself and made my choice. Grabbing all my savings, I left my parents' home and headed out to face the big world. After a long journey, I stopped before a sign, "Entertainment Company." I entered and soon was standing in front of the owner himself. "Go ahead, tell us about yourself," he started. "I have an outstanding personality. I'm smart and expressive. My heart is ablaze with motivation, and I have a great sense of humor." "We see that you're not a timid person. We need someone to work every night, stand on stage, tell jokes, and make everyone laugh for an hour. You can invent. We give you the green light to improvise." "Wow!" I exclaimed. "But I just finished school and have no prior experience." "No problem. We give preference to adolescents without prior experience. We can make you a part of our family and tame you as one of our own." Under the surface of those last words, I discerned a weird feeling of danger, but instead of pushing my brakes, went straight on. "When do I start?" "If you are such a kicker, why don't you kick off tonight's game? My helpers will get you a shiny costume, and you will start shortly. Have fun!” And here I was. A dream came through. Standing on a stage in sparkling light, I told my jokes, and everybody laughed. Suddenly I noticed something strange: right in the middle of the show, a few men in black sneaked in from the back doors into the auditorium and spread out between the chairs. I kept telling my stories while trying to observe those guys, and I saw they were robbers! Being on stage, I was the only one who could see them. Now I was in an actual life exam, nothing compared to school exams. I had to continue doing my job, but I couldn't pretend I did not see the thieves. I stopped my story and shouted: "Watch out for those men next to you; they are robbers!" All the lights went out at once, and panic spread like lightning. Within a minute, all the people ran out in different directions. I was sitting on a stage, alone in a dark empty auditorium. Then once again, a beam of light flashed on me. I didn't like it this time; I was kind of scared. The business owner and his helpers approached me and said: "We hired you to do a job for an hour. Why did you stop before the time?" "But I saw those -" "That was not your business! They were working with us, and you were supposed to continue your performance. Was it so difficult?" "No - well, yes -" "We see that you are good for nothing. You betrayed our trust! Your employment is canceled! Get out of here, idiot, before we cut you off from this beautiful world!" I ran away as fast as I could and as far as I could. Eventually, I ran out of strength and fell asleep, exhausted. The following morning, I woke up lying on the ground in front of a bar with a few men standing in a circle around me, having a heated discussion, each with a bottle in his hand. One of them pointed at me. "Have you heard what happened last night? This fellow exposed the biggest entertainment company! He is a brave guy. Let's drink to his honor!" "What was in it for him?" "Nothing," opposed the eldest among them. "If he would be a detective, at least he would get paid for doing his job." The third one lifted his bottle high in the air and proclaimed right above my head: "This is real life! Everything else is fiction!" "There is nothing you can do about it. That's our only choice, explained to me the fourth one with the voice of a peacemaker. "This is our refuge," and he pointed to the bar's door. "Wanna come with us?" I felt nauseous and couldn't answer a word. I watched the men disappear behind that door, saying, "leave this guy alone; he is not mature yet. He will understand this life one day." Here I was alone, despicable, scorned, and confused. My whole life was a waste, and I didn't have a place to escape. Should I go into the bar to understand life and become mature? As I thought that, another man appeared before me and said: "Sorry for interfering, but you don't have to suppress yourself so hard and wither for the rest of your life." "Enough of comments!" And I pushed the stranger away. "I want to have a break from all this criticism! Let me go drink something." "You don't need to swallow everything that comes your way. The reason I spoke to you is that you look homeless." Now he got my attention: "Why would you say that? Just because I slept one night outside does not mean I'm homeless!" "You look confused. I understand that you run away from danger, but do you have a place to escape? Where is your secure refuge? If you don't have one, you're homeless." I stopped to think for a minute. "My parents' home, I remembered; I can go back." "Secure parents' home is a bonus. But you are on your own now and should build your base. It's all about choices. Come with me, and I will tell you a story. I agreed, not having anything else to do now. And he started. "Once upon a time lived a man called Abraham. He traveled together with his nephew by the name Lot. They both were wealthy and had a lot of flocks." "Are you kidding me?" I interrupted him. "Who doesn't know this story? Every child learns it in kindergarten! I am not a child anymore!" "No problem," answered the man, without any sign of offense. "You've learned it in a kindergarten; what do you remember?" "They had to separate. Lot went away from Abraham and settled in civilized Sodom's region. But that place became bad luck for him. The judgment of God doomed that whole civilization. His only option to stay alive was to leave his home and run away. Two angels came to help him reach a secure refuge before the destruction started. Once Lot was safe, fire came from heaven and completely erased the entire region! It's a terrible story. Poor Lot!" "All right. That's a good start. But now, as an adult, you can learn more from this story. You can draw a positive message out of it, a wisdom that will help you fortify your base." "Go ahead, tell me your version." "I will try. It was not the place that brought bad luck for Lot but his own decision. Fate has nothing to do with how our lives turn out but rather our choices. The whole land was before him, no one forced him to settle in Sodom, but he wanted that for himself and his family. Abraham gave him a right to choose first, being willing to accept the remaining option gladly. The question was not right or left, but how would you make your choice. The sparkles of a civilized Sodom attracted Lot because an abundant water supply caused rapid growth and development. It wasn't healthy for him, though, because sin was also in abundance. One day, its dirty rivers came to his door and almost broke out into his personal life. In the unfolding of those events became clear that all this time, Lot was homeless without a secure refuge. He had to, as you said, run for his life. He escaped the destruction due to his uncle's intervention. Abraham interceded before the only One who could influence the outcome. "Of course, such a difference! Abraham's dwelling was always secure, no troubles!" "The difference between them is hidden in Abraham's choice from long before. His story goes back to when the Almighty made him a promise. He said to Abraham: 'Walk before Me and be thou blameless…,' and Abraham chose to walk before the Almighty. He entrusted to God all his matters and let Him lead the journey. But to follow, Abraham had to examine everything that came his way, including every counsel, idea, and business proposal, to accept one and to say no to another. God Himself assumed responsibility for securing Abraham's dwelling everywhere he went. To secure your dwelling is a basic element of life. You carry out all your actions from that place. Your material house is only a small particle of that design." Suddenly we arrived at a sign that read: "Everything for your home," and the man stopped. He pointed to the signage and said: "Now go and buy solid building material." "Please come with me," I asked him. "I want to make sure to get the right stuff." "No, you need to go there alone," he said firmly. Maturity requires learning to make the right choices on your own. But you need to know something about that site: they have everything, but you don't need everything they have. To build a solid secure base, you need to be very selective and choose with understanding. Some folks don't take it seriously and never invest in quality building materials, like insight and discernment; instead, the sparkles attract them, which are always on sale. Take care of the details and build a quality sewage system. Remember Lot! Once the stench breaks out, you will have to run for your life. Remember Abraham! The blessing of the Almighty will make your dwelling sure and your days in it filled with a fragrance of well-being." He got a small screwdriver from his pocket and handed it to me. "You would need to put it all together now. But don't get carried away in your building projects, since for only a time it is entrusted to us."

My father was a military man, and he was rarely home. Every time he would come for a vacation, my mom would be busy cleaning and ironing his uniform while I had a chance to see a movie with him. I especially loved those action Superman movies. The story was not as important to me as the hero, who was typically a man, a fighter who confronted evil in one way or another. He was tall, handsome, audacious, and determined to win. He had higher aspirations for life than ordinary people, and supernatural power was a hallmark. He would respond fearlessly to some injustice and free others from danger by performing mighty exploits. Towards the movie's end, this hero usually overcame, good prevailed over evil, and the hero was rewarded and glorified. My dad would take me for an ice cream treat in a bistro when the movie was over. "What's for you, cub?" the waitress would ask me. "Just the usual," I would answer like a man. My father would always order for himself a strong drink, explaining to me that he needed to clear his throat. I would sit there, all excited from the movie and even more because my father was sitting right next to me. I was proud of him. He was like a superman in a movie, a tough guy, a real man! Usually, after a few gulps, my father would share with me about his service in the military, and I would always be so eager to listen. "You've seen that hero in a movie?" He would shoot his question at me and go straight to the point. "My job is to produce those guys. I teach my soldiers to mobilize their potential and develop their fighting skills. I instruct them to boost their strength and not shrink in the face of danger, overcome the challenges, cause things to happen and reach the heights. I train them to be tough and realize their great destiny. Otherwise, they will be crushed or towed by their enemies into exile or expelled from real life. This world is not for dwarfs; you cannot afford the luxury of not growing." These were the highlights of my childhood years. One day my father came home and announced that his regiment had moved to another part of the country and that we would live far away from there. The years passed. Now I was just about the age to enlist in the army when I traveled to visit the town where I grew up. Among other places, I entered a bistro, where my father would take me after movies. It has been a long time. I was tall, strong, and muscled; nobody would call me a chick or a cub like before. Suddenly, I heard someone calling: "Hey, is it really you? What a surprise! You've missed us, ah?" I stooped to see the man talking to me but couldn't recognize him. He invited me to join him for a drink and started: "You don't remember me, but I sure do. A few years ago, you came here with your dad, who was in the military." "Right. I was a kid then." "Yes, you've grown. I still remember the stories your father shared about his soldiers. I bet you want to be a hero like he is. Are you gonna join the army soon?" "Exactly." "You don't seem to be very excited about it. I remember how you loved those superman adventures." "It's true, but I'm unsure if I'm ready to be one." "What is it you fear? Your father's expectations? Do you think he will denounce and rebuke you if you don't live up to them?" "How could you see that? I thought those fears were well concealed." The older man drank some more. "Today, I'm a gardener, but I've been around," he continued. "I served as a tracker during the war. I've learned to recognize people by their footprints." "You mean, by the marks of their boots on the ground?" "Also. But a footprint can be any mark of their passing that they leave behind them. Those marks can tell a lot about a person, but tell me about your dilemma, would you?" "When I was little, I've learned that there are only two possible ways to live your life: you are either a superman hero or a coward, and I've seen those. They are usually underdeveloped, like dwarfs and stutterers, and ridiculed daily. They are limited in every possible way, never initiate anything, being only swept along into the agendas of others. They are shapeless and flexible in everyone's hands; by themselves, they can only slide down the hill; my father would classify them as 'cuttings of a tree.' I don't want to be one of them." "You surely don't look like one," he added. "Well, here's the thing, I don't want to be a tough guy either. As you've said, I have seen how they truly are, footprints. They sure boost themselves physically and mentally to overcome, but I've seen them being rude and vulgar, acting violently, and engaging in plunder. I've seen them behaving very arrogant and abusive to those not defined as one of them, especially the weaker ones. Their marks are so disgusting, and I don't want to be one of them, not even for some higher cause, nor for the sake of a great destiny that my father always told me about!" He paused, then nodded his head. "I see what you mean. The ideal superman is a macho guy, tough and arrogant, clear black and white pattern, no shades allowed. If you don't fit this pattern, you're a wimp and cannot be defined as a real man, right?" "How do you know? Did you watch those movies?" I wondered. "No, but I've been around," he said again, "and I've seen that men, indeed not less than women, love to show off and impress one another. For that reason, they create all those behavior patterns, like costumes in a show. This image can be attractive, especially for a tender young boy. Chasing to embody this superman's image, boys start to imitate the manners of the "tough guy." He must follow that pattern precisely; tears are not allowed, and he may be ridiculed as weak for his compassion. If he continues, all of that must be clipped and cut off to the root. As life unfolds, they can easily get carried away, their inflamed ego being their primary drive, constantly feeling an urge to be on top in every situation at whatever cost. They assume themselves as superior to others, the so-called "purebred." From there are derived the violence and abuse, you've mentioned. Once filled to overflowing, it is no small effort to contain it. It grows into a movement, and a war breaks out. This superiority drive revolves into excess, bursting out like a volcanic eruption. When the explosion is on its way, the pressure may rise so high that it becomes beyond control. Its destructive lava swallows everything on its way, sweeping away so many lives. Millions are dying in agony as a result of that. What is left? History books and names organized in archives in alphabetical order and monuments of heroes, who performed mighty exploits but details are scratched away." "But how can I respond to this challenge as a man? I don't want to be drawn to one side or the other. I feel a foreigner to both of them." "These distinctions are superficial, they only deal with the external elements, but you can change your approach and look at the core instead. You will find a different range of choices there below the surface." "How can I do that?" I asked, perplexed. "You must go back to the basics and redefine what a real man is. The story about David, for example, was a real discovery for me and marked my life as a warrior. It happened back when Saul was a king over Israel and David was yet a little shepherd boy, the youngest in the family; his task was to tend his father Jesse's sheep. One day war broke out, and David's brothers joined the army and went to fight. The enemy's army leader was a giant named Goliath, who was much bigger and taller than ordinary people; he was extreme and unapproachable, rude, tough, and inspiring fear. His army was proud to have a warrior like him. Goliath was their hero. Every day he would come out to the battle line in the valley to mock and curse King Saul and his soldiers. He was demanding a man from Saul's army to come to fight with him one on one." "So, who was that man of valor and courage?" "All the soldiers were afraid to face Goliath; they ran from him, wailing in terror. The same story continued until one day, little David came to visit his brothers in the army camp and heard the giant's threats. 'I will go,' he said to King Saul. 'I'm not afraid to confront him.' He stood his ground when other soldiers and his brothers started to ridicule him. Compared to other soldiers, David was small, young, and insignificant. He didn't appear to be tough, but obviously, he had everything needed to fight Goliath and end that abuse outbreak. He courageously confronted Goliath and killed him; his hidden secret was his prior experience." "Of killing giants?" I interrupted. "You may say that. As a young shepherd boy, he assumed responsibility for the flock of sheep entrusted to him and courageously protected his territory. Whenever a lion or bear broke through the borders to steal one of his sheep, he fought like a hero and overcame. That's why confrontation with Goliath was not extraordinary for David; he simply continued the natural course of his life, protecting his territory, and removing just another obstacle in front of him. This kind of man you want to have around, someone who knows who he is and will not panic in the face of danger. David possessed an inner strength, which became obvious to everyone in a time of need." "I guess some people have it and others don't." I pondered. "No, everyone has it," he assured me. "You see our Creator has a big barn of grain and plants in the garden of our lives a grain of greatness. This grain is the essence of inner strength and valor. It carries the best possible pattern for your life as a reward, but it takes time to take shape and materialize to bridge the beginning and the end; you need to embrace the growing process." "What do you mean?" I still didn't understand. "David saw this grain of greatness planted in his garden and understood that his life has a high value in God's eyes. This value became the focal point of all his gardening; it helped him overcome every challenge. David was fighting his daily battles, one after the other. No one saw his victories, but David was not concerned about being seen. The process of developing inner strength doesn't happen in front of others. Same with the plants: the essential growth happens underground, in the roots, which empower the whole plant to burst forth. It works for everyone. The battles you win in your secret private life are those that make you strongest. By winning many underground battles, he became a mighty man of valor, strong on the inside. This inner strength solidifies your entire being, and even your scars heal quickly." "Ah, the men talk again!" dropped the waitress as she passed by. She turned to me with a big smile and affirmed, "Having a man around requires someone who knows how to wash smelly socks!" "It's also true" -- the older man looked at the waitress as she was walking away and added -– this one is a true woman of valor, but that's another story." He took out an old book from the inner pocket of his coat and handed it to me, saying, "I want you to keep this. I fought many battles, and this book was my backup manual through all of them. It speaks about David and many other men and women, who lived extraordinary lives, having the greatness of the Almighty engraved on their hearts."