Sitting on the banks of an ocean, a child watched the perfectly serene and glass-like surface for countless ages. Actually, one can't be sure how long the child truly sat there for nothing changed, ever. The constant lighting and temperature and air of perfect stillness. The child never knew a time that he wasn't there watching the same scene and the thought never occurred to him that something would change -- or even that change existed.

Then the unfathomable happened. A small ripple was visible on the surface of the water. What could this be? A new and bewildering sensation began to grow within the child -- curiosity. Questions were forming for the first time in his existence. Not full-fledged questions as you or I would understand them, for he had no language. After some time (again, how long is unknown since time is a measurement between events and this child has only known one event) an idea, or rather a concept was formed.

Touch the surface of the ocean.

The child timidly made contact with the water (event number two). A small ripple similar to the first moved out in all directions. Another new and bewildering sensation started within the child -- excitement.

Time passed. The child, growing in confidence, tried more and more frequent contact with the surface. Then it happened again. A faint ripple that the child did not cause appeared and disappeared as it lost strength when coming to the shore. How could this be?

The child pondered the matter. He realized the ripples that he caused moved away from him, yet, this unknown ripple came toward him. To make sure his own ripples were not simply coming back to him, he tried something new -- he touched the surface twice in short succession, causing two ripples to move outward. Now, if his ripples were simply coming back to him he would see two ripples the same distance apart.

He waited (waiting... this is new).

Some time later faint ripples appeared, coming his way. To the child's great astonishment (great because this is the most astonished he had ever been, if ever at all), there were three ripples. This discovery led the child on to further experiments, discoveries, and ideas. After a long while, one idea building on another, a new concept began to emerge. The child new there was something exciting about this concept, but it had not solidified yet. He couldn't quite grasp it. Curious and motivated, the child continued on for another eon. Then it happened.

"What if there is an other me out there?" This was new -- and no easy concept to come by.

Further eons went by with many experiments and ideas. Patterns developed and another new concept emerged -- communication. Gradually, over time, a communication protocol emerged. The first hints of concepts and ideas began to be exchanged. What was the first idea communicated to the child?

Come into the ocean.

The prompting came again and again. Finally, after many tries, the prodding succeeded. The child chose to wade out into the ocean. The child found that the further he waded out, the more ripples there were coming to him. He also found that his ability to make ripples was greatly increased.

Time went by. The child found many other individuals such as himself through the ripples and waves in the ocean, but only through those ripples and waves. At no point did he or any of the others actually meet. Ideas and concepts grew, developed, and were shared. Not all ideas and concepts were pleasant. Contrasts emerged -- desirable and undesirable, good and bad, light and dark, love and hate, etc.

The child grew and developed. His comprehension and understanding grew. As he grew, so did his view of the ocean. No longer did he perceive ripples and waves, now he began to perceive form and function. He met and saw his companions. Form and function could be manipulated. Tools emerged. But all is perception.

The most important relationship the child had was with the individual that drew him into the ocean. This individual had progressed beyond the child's comprehension. This individual cared for the child and the others he drew in to the ocean. He wanted to help these children progress as he had, and comprehend as he did. He loved them. He became their teacher. He became their master. He became their Father.

Through his mastery of form and structure, and his understanding of where the others were developmentally, the Father knew that his children were ready for the next step in their progress -- bodies of spirit. These bodies presented new opportunities for growth. Once developed and proven, his children were then presented with mortal bodies of flesh. The wonders of these new mortal bodies include form and function that gives the body some autonomous life of its own. A vehicle for the spirit, the complexity of the mortal body presents challenges for the child as well. Each stage of progression provided the individual moral agency, or the ability to exercise his or her free will. Mortality is no different. Through strength of will, the child must now overcome all and become what he is capable of. He must love unconditionally, be faithful, and become a master.

This is where the child now finds himself, an individual embodied in spirit embodied in mortal flesh. The opportunities offered by mortality are difficult and challenge the individual nearly to the breaking point. But for one with limitless potential for progression, these challenges can be overcome. But he is not alone. The loving Father is a loving teacher. He has provided the child with hints and suggestions. He has provided means for the child to overcome his weaknesses. He has provided means for the child to overcome his mistakes. What the child struggles to understand and comprehend at this point is from whence he came and how much he has accomplished. Mortality is but a moment in eternity.

Many of those in mortality with the child have succumb to selfishness or hatred, fear and ignorance, and being subject to the will of the flesh rather than the will of the spirit. Searching for relief from suffering many have mistakenly sought to reverse all progress made and swim back to the shore from whence they came. Many view themselves as mortal flesh rather than what they truly are, thus find themselves ruled by their animal instincts and genetic predispositions.

Each child must answer, "Who am I?" and "What is my purpose?" How would you answer? Do you generate and control the ripples and waves of the ocean of cause and effect, or do they rule you?

Tags: Intelligence Will Agency Potential Growth

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