The Wise Man at The Philippines :)

ColinJesusboy28 said:

The Wise MAN at The Phillipines

I closed the blinds to my office window as the computer shut down. I had worked hard for several weeks without hardly a break. I was thrilled for my planned vacation to the resort in the Philippines.
I lived alone and I worked alone and everyone knew I was an island so to speak; A friendless solo work-aholic.
I had been reading books such as “The Pathway’s to Light” and “Nirvana’s Last Call” so that when my foreign feet touched ground in that county I would know a thing or two. I had previously believed in Jesus Christ but not so much any more. I really had a desire to explore the other religions, especially those that promoted meditation and fasting. I wanted to a have a spiritual walk but I wanted to do it alone.
It felt like I was saying goodbye to my office on the third story forever as I locked the door.
“John… I’m gone!”
“You have an amazing vacation you hear!”
“I sure will!”

Sleep. Breakfast. Airport. And I’m on the airplane.
I am prepared. I reopened Nirvana’s Last Call and began to read…
“When you are taught by a good teacher, most often you are offended from the get go. A good lesson doesn’t make sense all at once. In fact it might take many tries to really experience nirvana the way it was meant to be. Don’t be quick in your heart to make a judgment about the lesson you learn because many years down the line will it finally mean something to you…
I dropped “Nirvana’s Last Call” and picked up “The Pathways to Light.”
The path that has the most opportunity is often shrouded by darkness. The light at the end of a dark path might just be the reward…”
Somewhere in there I was able to get shuteye. Then just like that the plane stopped and we are all unloading and hitting the fresh air in Asia. I checked my breast pocket for my phone which is perhaps more trusty than a wallet.

I took a shuttle to my hotel and from my hotel to another drop off site where I would soon find a scooter. Now this is where things get interesting. I routed my phone 8 miles to a resort called Tribal resort. But as I’m reaching the drop off site, my phone freezes and so I turn it back on. Then upon returning to it’s home screen, it redirects me to a whole other place called “Wise Man Stay.”
I’m already on my scooter at this point so I decided to keep continuing on rout.
I pulled up to the entry path and I’m scared that my scooter practically dies right there at this mystic beautiful cabin. Now very reluctantly I turned the knob and stepped in. The smell of the wood filled me right away.
Then there at the desk with bifocals on an older lady sat. She greeted me.
Uh..is there supposed to be a “Tribal Resort Around here?”
She laughed and said, “no, no..Didn’t you read the sign?”
“Yeah I did.” I hated my smartphone for a long moment.
“Well, Okay so.. Well I’m here, so what is this place?”
“Well if you hike up that path right out there and follow the signs about a mile and a half to two miles there’s another cabin.
“Another cabin?”
“Yes there is…and there’s a man in the cabin who waits for lonely hikers to give them nirvana.”

When those words hit me, my bones shuttered and my skin got chills.
“Where do I sign?”
“Just start hiking!”
My heart started thumping and I remember trying to banish all my city life mannerisms. Was I really going to meet someone worthy of giving me nirvana? Was I worthy of getting nirvana? Then I remember feeling sheepish.

Of course not. This is a Philippines attraction. They are trying to attract visitors. How stupid of me!
“What in the world is this guy going to say?”
“What am I going to say?”
And many more phrases like this kept spinning around in my mind and heart as I climbed the mountain trail.
Two miles sounded friendlier coming from that woman’s mouth than it did as I trudged on. With every step my hips and my feet began to burn more and more. I’m gonna get there and the guy is going to say you are out of shape and you don’t deserve to have nirvana.

I was even breathing heavy which was a surprise to me because I attend a gym regularly. When I reached the sign that said the cabin was just around the bend I believed it because the cabin was actually partially in sight. I died a little from exhaustion and bent over my body but with great relief.

Finally as I got closer I worked up the courage and inch by inch I worked my way up to the handle. I turned the knob and broke the seal. The door came crashing down in my mind. I stepped into the semi lit room. Again the smell of fresh wood hit my nervous system. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a life changing lesson.

When my eyes fell on the figure with the guitar in hands I felt a peace that I had never had.
The whole thing was surreal. It was like a dream.

“Do you have anything to teach me?” I asked. It was like I was 5 years old again. My innocence was restored and it was as if I was worshiping the unknown man.
“I have a song to sing to you.” The mysterious man said with a deep voice. He plucked some intro notes on the guitar then worked it into chords beautifully and with much skill. Then he began to sing.

We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And I pray that our unity may one day be restored
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land
And they'll know we are Christians
By our love, by our love

Christians? My jaw fell to the ground. I was horrified. Everything I had been running from hit me full force.

“Want to hear it again?”

“Ha.. No.”
Then the teacher spoke. You were hoping for some wisdom?

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Then this country rock star guy, set his guitar down and said very plainly,

“A good lesson doesn’t make sense all at once.”
I nodded, “Yeah okay.”
and He continued…. The light at the end of a dark path might just be the reward.

And then it hit me…He was quoting Nirvana’s Last Call and the Pathway to Light.
And with that I promise I saw the wise man smile with a twinkle in his eye and he shined brighter than the fire light in the cabin could ever shine.

So we both knew it was time for me to head back down the mountain. Everything was very dream like. To this day I still don’t know if it really happened. I think deep down inside I could tell that a new fire was starting in me. It was like a frown inside was already turning into a smile. I grabbed tree branches and hopped and skipped down rocky paths. I was broken as I wined down the road. I was broken but at a juncture of being fixed. I may have even been humming his song as I reached the bottom.

So I stepped into see Mrs. Mysterious too and said good-bye. She too was like and angel in appearance.

As a thinker if I had to compare the two; on my way to the Philippines I was proud, on my way back I was humble. On my way there I was arrogant. On my way back I was discerning. On my way back I had fear of the Lord.

The years to come after my strange trip to Asia were many; some good some bad. My friends could tell a difference though.

I found a local church with a loud church band. Every Sunday I go. If I had my choice at any faith I choose Jesus. Because of one word. Death. When you face it alone you are are nothing. What good would it be if I had nirvana seven times and never had a friend? And I hear in heaven we receive nirvana a lot more than seven times.
And every once in a while I look up and say,

“Thank you Lord…
for the Philippines.”

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