again and nodded. âGood. You must regard what is happening to you as a process, a situation in a state of becoming. You must ask questions, you must learn. You must forget what you know, or what you think you know, and you must learn it again, afresh. With the relearning might come something new. New knowledge. Sharper insight. A change of perspective. And all that will come, in time. You must learn, as well, to be patient."
âI want to know,â the man below said. âI want to learn."
âGood, good. You will learn. And you will know."
The Judge leaned back and rubbed his eyes with thumb and forefinger. âAh,â he said wearily. âThis is not the easiest of jobs."
âWho are you?â the man looking up asked.
âIt is my job to see you through this process of learning. To guide you, but not to teach. You must teach yourself. I will be with you in spirit along the way. It is also my appointed task to choose a proper path for you. There are many paths to knowledge. Many means to the ultimate goal. One way must be chosen that is right for you, that is more conducive to self-instruction than any other."
âWhere am I to go?â was the question.
âDo not ask where,â came the answer. âAs I told you, location is of little importance. More significant is the process itself. Forget for now the question of where in space and time the process unfolds. For your purposes, there is no space, save for that space in which you are to fulfill your destiny. There is no time, save for the duration needed for that destiny to be fulfilled."
âIs it all written?â asked the man. âIs it all set down in that book?"
The Judge nodded, leaning forward again, looking over the edge of the towering bench. âI am writing it. It is being written even as we speak."
âThen I have no will, no volition."
âOn the contrary! You have every means at your disposal to change the circumstances in which you will find yourself. You will have the wherewithal to resist, to fight, to scheme, to meddle, or to refuse. All is possible. All this you will do."
âBut if my fate is sealed..."
âIn eternity, your fate is set. But you live in time, and you have the means and the opportunity to affect the outcome of all that you engage in. You will choose your fate. You will cause it to be fixed in eternity. You will be the only cause of your own predetermined fate. You will write your story. And I ... I will set it down. Here.â The Judge touched the pages of the open ledger.
The man did not answer for a long while. The silence of the Plane droned on.
âI find all that ... very interesting."
âNo doubt,â the Judge said. He sat back again. âThere is not much more to say. Words, at this point, would be of little value."
âYou have not said many,â the man below said. âNor have you told me very much."
âThat is true. For many reasons. And you will know the reason in time, as you shall know many things."
The Judge straightened in his chair.
âIt is time to begin."
âBegin what?"
The horizon, the man suddenly noticed, was barely visible now, a faint ring of grayness that had slowly faded as the conversation progressed. The darkness that was not a sky above seemed to grow darker still. Shadows fell upon one another across the length and breadth of the Plane. Silence deepened.
âWhat is happening?"
âNothing,â the Judge said. âThis temporary existence is at an end. Chaos returns, darkness falls."
âWill something take its place?"
âPerhaps. Perhaps not."
âWhat is written in the book about it?"
âOnly what you create and I set down."
âBut what does the book say?"
âIf I read, it would be meaningless to you."
The darkness folded in like a shroud. The horizon became the barest ghost of itself, a thin separation of the blackness above and the blackness below. Then it vanished and there
âI want to know,â the man below said. âI want to learn."
âGood, good. You will learn. And you will know."
The Judge leaned back and rubbed his eyes with thumb and forefinger. âAh,â he said wearily. âThis is not the easiest of jobs."
âWho are you?â the man looking up asked.
âIt is my job to see you through this process of learning. To guide you, but not to teach. You must teach yourself. I will be with you in spirit along the way. It is also my appointed task to choose a proper path for you. There are many paths to knowledge. Many means to the ultimate goal. One way must be chosen that is right for you, that is more conducive to self-instruction than any other."
âWhere am I to go?â was the question.
âDo not ask where,â came the answer. âAs I told you, location is of little importance. More significant is the process itself. Forget for now the question of where in space and time the process unfolds. For your purposes, there is no space, save for that space in which you are to fulfill your destiny. There is no time, save for the duration needed for that destiny to be fulfilled."
âIs it all written?â asked the man. âIs it all set down in that book?"
The Judge nodded, leaning forward again, looking over the edge of the towering bench. âI am writing it. It is being written even as we speak."
âThen I have no will, no volition."
âOn the contrary! You have every means at your disposal to change the circumstances in which you will find yourself. You will have the wherewithal to resist, to fight, to scheme, to meddle, or to refuse. All is possible. All this you will do."
âBut if my fate is sealed..."
âIn eternity, your fate is set. But you live in time, and you have the means and the opportunity to affect the outcome of all that you engage in. You will choose your fate. You will cause it to be fixed in eternity. You will be the only cause of your own predetermined fate. You will write your story. And I ... I will set it down. Here.â The Judge touched the pages of the open ledger.
The man did not answer for a long while. The silence of the Plane droned on.
âI find all that ... very interesting."
âNo doubt,â the Judge said. He sat back again. âThere is not much more to say. Words, at this point, would be of little value."
âYou have not said many,â the man below said. âNor have you told me very much."
âThat is true. For many reasons. And you will know the reason in time, as you shall know many things."
The Judge straightened in his chair.
âIt is time to begin."
âBegin what?"
The horizon, the man suddenly noticed, was barely visible now, a faint ring of grayness that had slowly faded as the conversation progressed. The darkness that was not a sky above seemed to grow darker still. Shadows fell upon one another across the length and breadth of the Plane. Silence deepened.
âWhat is happening?"
âNothing,â the Judge said. âThis temporary existence is at an end. Chaos returns, darkness falls."
âWill something take its place?"
âPerhaps. Perhaps not."
âWhat is written in the book about it?"
âOnly what you create and I set down."
âBut what does the book say?"
âIf I read, it would be meaningless to you."
The darkness folded in like a shroud. The horizon became the barest ghost of itself, a thin separation of the blackness above and the blackness below. Then it vanished and there
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