don’t go in for all that coddling stuff. And she has to learn to get tough sooner or later.”
“What am I supposed to do?” The woman shrugged. “I don’tthink he would even notice if I managed to take all the burrs off him.”
As Celeste watched the couple walk away, she felt sorry that they would rather suffer than learn to speak kindly to each other.
Around the Mountains of Maturity
I NTO THE S AND D UNES OF F OOLISHNESS
I n my dream I saw that the path for Peter and Celeste became rockier and started to rise. Soon they came to the Mountains of Maturity that ranged all the way to the King’s City. Celeste felt her heart sag when she saw the first one, Virtue Peak, soaring in front of them. She was convinced she could never attempt such a rugged climb. Even Peter, who always loved a challenge, was daunted by the steep slope. In places it looked like the trail took them up an almost sheer rock face. That would be hard enough for him alone, but he’d also have to help Celeste and he wasn’t sure he had the strength. “There has to be another way around this mountain, don’t you think?” Peter asked.
“We could try this way.” Celeste pointed to the side where a comfortable sandy path led away from the mountain. She remembered her postcard of a couple surfing. “There is no sign saying itis forbidden, and it looks like it might lead to a beach. I don’t think it would hurt to take a little rest and enjoy the sun and the sea. It would be like our time under the moon of honey.”
Peter would have never agreed to rest before. But he was discovering that what he had observed before he met Celeste was true: it was much more difficult to make the journey with a partner than alone, and he was often very tired at the end of the day. “I always wanted to go to the beach, but the leaders in Upright Village didn’t think it was a wise place to visit.”
“How can there be anything wrong with going to the beach? A little fun never hurt anyone. We’ll just stay for a short while and when we’re ready, we’ll leave.”
“They also warned about the roaring lion who roamed through the King’s country looking for travelers to devour. It favors the lower, sandy regions where travelers haven’t learned to be on guard.”
“A lion.” Celeste shook her head. “Have you ever seen one? I’m sure that was just a folktale they used to scare people from leaving the village. And even if this lion does exist, I’m sure the King would never allow it to run free in His country.”
Peter didn’t want to argue, especially since the sandy path looked so inviting. “You’re probably right, and we could use a little break from our journey.”
As soon as the path turned away from Virtue Peak, it opened onto a broad area of sand dotted with tufts of grass. At first the sand was firm. Sometimes Peter and Celeste heard the distant rumble of waves, though they couldn’t see the ocean. They passed by several trails that split off from the beach path: the Course ofTesting, the Course of Discipline, and the Course of Suffering. Each looked too rocky or climbed right back up toward the Mountains of Maturity. So Peter and Celeste continued their pleasant meander through the soft warm sand. Peter wondered why the leaders of Upright Village had been so adamant about avoiding the beach.
Soon the path gently descended into a section of low mounds of sand. The sun was hot, and they wished for the shady trees they had walked under in the Low Country. Even the forested slopes on the mountains behind them looked appealing. But Peter and Celeste pushed on, sweaty and sticky, drawn by the sound of the ocean that seemed always just around the next dune. They thought of how refreshing it would be to plunge into the cool water and swim in the waves. Finally they came to the beach. A crystal blue sky matched the vast ocean that sparkled in the sun. Seabirds swooped down and
“What am I supposed to do?” The woman shrugged. “I don’tthink he would even notice if I managed to take all the burrs off him.”
As Celeste watched the couple walk away, she felt sorry that they would rather suffer than learn to speak kindly to each other.
Around the Mountains of Maturity
I NTO THE S AND D UNES OF F OOLISHNESS
I n my dream I saw that the path for Peter and Celeste became rockier and started to rise. Soon they came to the Mountains of Maturity that ranged all the way to the King’s City. Celeste felt her heart sag when she saw the first one, Virtue Peak, soaring in front of them. She was convinced she could never attempt such a rugged climb. Even Peter, who always loved a challenge, was daunted by the steep slope. In places it looked like the trail took them up an almost sheer rock face. That would be hard enough for him alone, but he’d also have to help Celeste and he wasn’t sure he had the strength. “There has to be another way around this mountain, don’t you think?” Peter asked.
“We could try this way.” Celeste pointed to the side where a comfortable sandy path led away from the mountain. She remembered her postcard of a couple surfing. “There is no sign saying itis forbidden, and it looks like it might lead to a beach. I don’t think it would hurt to take a little rest and enjoy the sun and the sea. It would be like our time under the moon of honey.”
Peter would have never agreed to rest before. But he was discovering that what he had observed before he met Celeste was true: it was much more difficult to make the journey with a partner than alone, and he was often very tired at the end of the day. “I always wanted to go to the beach, but the leaders in Upright Village didn’t think it was a wise place to visit.”
“How can there be anything wrong with going to the beach? A little fun never hurt anyone. We’ll just stay for a short while and when we’re ready, we’ll leave.”
“They also warned about the roaring lion who roamed through the King’s country looking for travelers to devour. It favors the lower, sandy regions where travelers haven’t learned to be on guard.”
“A lion.” Celeste shook her head. “Have you ever seen one? I’m sure that was just a folktale they used to scare people from leaving the village. And even if this lion does exist, I’m sure the King would never allow it to run free in His country.”
Peter didn’t want to argue, especially since the sandy path looked so inviting. “You’re probably right, and we could use a little break from our journey.”
As soon as the path turned away from Virtue Peak, it opened onto a broad area of sand dotted with tufts of grass. At first the sand was firm. Sometimes Peter and Celeste heard the distant rumble of waves, though they couldn’t see the ocean. They passed by several trails that split off from the beach path: the Course ofTesting, the Course of Discipline, and the Course of Suffering. Each looked too rocky or climbed right back up toward the Mountains of Maturity. So Peter and Celeste continued their pleasant meander through the soft warm sand. Peter wondered why the leaders of Upright Village had been so adamant about avoiding the beach.
Soon the path gently descended into a section of low mounds of sand. The sun was hot, and they wished for the shady trees they had walked under in the Low Country. Even the forested slopes on the mountains behind them looked appealing. But Peter and Celeste pushed on, sweaty and sticky, drawn by the sound of the ocean that seemed always just around the next dune. They thought of how refreshing it would be to plunge into the cool water and swim in the waves. Finally they came to the beach. A crystal blue sky matched the vast ocean that sparkled in the sun. Seabirds swooped down and
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