The Beggar of Forgiveness

THE BEGGAR OF FORGIVENESS

The Beggar of Forgiveness is the kind of person who creeps you out when you see them coming your way. It's kind of like a smelly, dirty homeless guy making his way straight at you. Not good.

Or is it?

The Beggar of Forgiveness represents a way of living that seems to be lost and tone deaf in the constant ear noise of social media, the high-pressure steam whistles of work and home, and the 12-round boxing matches of working harder for less and less. That's because The Beggar of Forgiveness is all about for-giving. Not so much about the Fallacy of Taking and Forgetting.

The Beggar of Forgiveness disputes the so-called wise saying, "Give and then you will receive." 

He believes, instead, in "Give". Pretty simple.

Since he is a poor beggar, no one sees that he has anything of value worth 'taking' - so, he pretty much walks down the streets ignored and unacknowledged. Many people claim that's the way it should be for a beggar, as they scurry by in their shiny clothes of "I'm Incredibly Worthy, Unlike You".

For a while he tried an obvious strategy, pointing to the sun and saying, "It's perfectly natural to give. That's all the sun does. It simply gives. It never takes. And look at the results."

But that statement got him in trouble with many in the spiritual crowd, who were certain he was advocating sun worship, rather than harvesting sinners for their side of the street. 

So his Beggars License was stamped with a 'Cease and Desist' order, which had him wondering if it was a recommendation to cease from giving or to desist from pointing out that the sun exists.

The Tour Guide of Nothingness

THE TOUR GUIDE OF NOTHINGNESS

A Tour Guide of Nothingness is like a concierge of the Everything. They are the discreet, behind-the-scenes fixers, there to make your stay comfortable in the luxury hotel of a better way of living.

Their manners and personalities are relaxed and approachable. Their training is impeccable. They have a sense and a knack for saying and doing the right thing at the right time. They "get it" every time, except for the occasional unfortunate mishap.

They get a bit confused about why anyone would want to stay in a sewer when they have the free choice of a beautiful hotel. But, being excellent concierges, they politely shrug their shoulders and respect the wishes of any guest or visitor.

Reservations aside, The Tour Guide of Nothingness can share their experience of the Nothingness in a manner similar to describing the five star luxury treatment found in the world's best resorts and spas. It makes you go, "Yessss."

Coffee-table travel books, strewn about the Everything, can't begin to convey what The Tour Guide of Nothingness can delightfully describe. It's like putting on 3D holographic lenses. An immersive View-Master love-in.

At this point, naturally, most guests forget to inquire how The Tour Guide of Nothingness makes money. They often don't, for reasons just cited.

Many travelers have come to believe that the most valuable destination of all should be utterly free, and that all guides, managers, drivers, monks, nuns and such should be full-time, unpaid volunteers. After all, if it's so great it should be free. Hence the term 'freeWay'.

Of course, this kind of thinking explains why the narrow path into the Everything, which journeys through the Nothingness, isn't a twelve lane super highway: Construction workers insist on getting paid.