This man had been walking the path for as long as he could remember, searching for a world in which he could be happy. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd arrived in this strange realm. Time here meant nothing. It could've been months, years, maybe even decades. Perhaps there was no 'time' at all. The concept of it was meaningless when there was nothing but a lone man, an open road, and empty space. But finally, he arrived at something interesting. The road split in three ways: he could head west, where a darkened night sky waited; he could go east, the sky there engulfed in a brilliant blue and the light of a shining star; or he could go straight north, into a horizon painted orange with the glow of sunset.
I wish it was cooler, he thought. Then this place would be perfect.
As soon as he thought it, the world changed. The air became crisp and cool, the sun seemed to lose its strength. The vibrancy of the flora faded away as yellows, oranges, and reds seemed to bleed out. The world appeared as if it were ablaze.
"Wow," he exclaimed aloud, stunned by the show taking place before him.
He had been right, and now it really did feel perfect. And yet something was wrong: the animals were gone, leaving him alone again. The birds disappeared on the horizon like a fading memory, and the land critters burrowed their way into the ground like children tucking themselves into bed. A chilled wind blew, and he shivered.
Nevermind, he thought. I guess I want something different after all.
The world continued to change around him. The air grew colder, frozen even, and the colors that remained died out in a dull display of browns and grays. The trees were bare and depressed now, and a white icy powder fell from a sky blanketed in clouds. He shivered again.
"Alright, I get it," he exclaimed aloud!
Just as he turned to leave, it finally warmed. The snow melted, the falling powder became a light rain, and the scent of damp soil filled the air. Sun broke through the clouds, and all the sleeping life returned to the surface. Even the birds came back. But while one would think he'd be pleased, all this man could do was shake his head in disappointment.
Nothing about this place is stable, he thought. First, it's too hot; then, it's too cold. It's too wet, it's too dry. This is a world of extremes, and I want no part of it.
He turned around and there he was again, back at the fork in the road. The eastern path had failed to satisfy, so he decided to try the west. Just like the last time, the world filled in around him as he approached. But this new world was different. The sky was darkened, his only light provided by a shining moon and an array of distant twinkling stars. There was no life around him. All was bare, empty, like a desert. There were signs that life had perhaps once been here, but it was not reassuring: twisting, bending, dead trees, branches that eerily danced with each gust of the chilling wind.
Is this it, he thought. Just darkness?
He walked for a little while longer, to make sure he didn't miss anything. But there was nothing to be missed. The world around him remained empty, the sky remained dark, the trees remained warped, and he remained unhappy. And so he turned around and again he was there, at the heart, at the fork in the road.
"This is getting ridiculous," he protested aloud.
He looked ahead, to the northern path. This was the last option, so it had to be the right one. He forged ahead, and just like the previous paths the empty plane filled in as he walked. Fields of green washed over the landscape and each gust of warm air appeared to ripple through the grass as if it were water. It felt just right, the gentle caress of the breeze. Thick and towering trees cropped up, their leaves crowded with schools of fireflies flashing their small lights. Beautiful creatures occupied the world, living perfect and peaceful lives. And the sky, oh the sky! Orange and pink splashed across that sky, the half visible sun aglow with golden light. A painted sunset. There was no day, but there was also no night: dawn became dusk, and dusk became dawn. There was no apparent heat, yet also no cold. No wet, no dry. Everything was in balance, just right, a perfect equilibrium. And yet, he couldn't understand himself. This was everything he'd ever wanted, the textbook definition of perfection, but it still felt all wrong. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he sat down on the dirt path he'd been walking for who knows how long. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed, drowned out by the perfection surrounding him.
