The Eternal Traveller

As I was outside my house one day, I saw Old Olaf the eternal traveller passing by and I asked him if he would sit down and take a rest at my house.

“Alright”, said the old grey bearded man wearily, sitting down with me, “But not for long because my journey never ends”.

“But where do you go to?”, I asked.

“Round and round the world I go and my journey must go on”, he said as I poured him some water to drink.

“But why?”, I asked, “Why go on your journey that never ends?”.

“Everything is on a journey”, he explained, “Even that which stands still travels forwards through time. The little raindrop journeys down the window pane; the lightning bolt flashes to the ground; the earth goes round and round the sun, endlessly giving birth to the day. There are billions upon billions upon billions of small journeys that make up the infinite and endless journey of existence itself”.

“Am I too on a journey?”, I asked, “Sometimes my life seems not to go anywhere”.

“You are. All that exists must travel unto its end and any obstacle that comes in its way it must struggle over; whether stone mountains or rivers or foes with spears and arrows or something as simple as heartbreak and loneliness but there are many joys to be had a long the way”, he explained, “I meet many kind people like yourself upon my travels and each one is a blessing to me”.

I asked him if he would like something else; perhaps some cake but he seemed impatient to be off on his travels again.

“No, no”, he said, getting to his feet, “I cannot stay for too long. I have mountains to climb and oceans to cross”.

He showed me the wings upon his magic boots with which he ran swiftly over the surface of seas and rivers.

“How old are you, Old Olaf?”, I asked, “If it’s not an impertinent question”.

“Oh, I’ve travelled for as long as Time can remember”, he said, “And I’ll go on travelling until Times own journey is through”.

But then he was on his way again and I watched as he slowly trundled off down the road and over the edge of the distant horizon.

Oh? You don’t believe that Old Olaf is real? You think I made up my whole encounter with him? Well
what is certainly real is that we are all on a journey; filled with struggles and sorrows but also joy and love and kindness. May your journey be a long and a pleasant one, my friend.