During scout camp the camp director had shared a brief folk tale that I really liked. So I decided to expand the simple story into a more developed and meaningful story, to which I entitled,
"The Three Travelers"
The next morning the three men eagerly awoke and prepared their horses. The first, in his zeal to gain his reward disregarded the angel's requirement to gather pebbles and stones along the way, but left his campsite uncleaned and sped away without stopping toward the promised location. Nearing the end of his journey the first traveler began to remember the admonitions of the angel and fearing he might not get his reward stopped just before arriving stopped and gathered a small handful of pebbles and one rock and placed them in his satchel. A few moments later in a feeling of triumph for being the first to arrive, supposing he had gained an advantage, began searching for his reward.
The second, also awoke in haste and made ready his horse and saddle and galloped west towards his anticipated reward. Unlike the first rider, he did remember and took heed of the Angel's request, and occasionally stopped along the way to gather pebbles and stones, but not wanting to part with the majority of his valuable earthly belongings was only able to fit a few handfuls of pebbles and three or four stones into his satchel.
The third, arose early with the rest, but unlike the other two took time to savor the morning, cleaned up the campsite, readied his horse, and watched the sunrise. As he travelled slowly, but steadily towards the horizon he gave full heed to the Angel request. Knowing he had more than required sunlight to arrive at his destination, he spent his time looking and picking up unique rocks and interesting pebbles of all sizes and shapes until he had eventually removed all of his personal belongings and replaced them with stones and pebbles. Burdened under the weight of these rocks the third rider finally arrived at the promised location just as the sun was beginning to set.
Upon arriving he saw the first two riders in a panicked state, all covered in dirt and sweat as they were frantically still searching for the treasure before the sun set. We have looked everywhere they exclaimed, turned over every rock, searched in every hole and cave, but nothing--no treasure! With that the sun had set.
Disappointed, the three travelers made a fire and sat in silence reflecting on the day's events. While gazing into the flickering flames suddenly again the angel appeared in the smoke of the fire. The angel spoke, "congratulations, your journey is through, now take joy in the rewards of your journey". The first man replied, "what rewards? I was the first to arrive and have spent the majority of the day searching this area and have found no treasures!" The second then exclaimed, "I was the second to arrive and having looked to the point of exhaustion and madness have not found the riches you promised--the likes of which we have never seen!". The third traveler humbly, replied, "I didn't have time to search for treasures, I had spent my time gathering pebbles and stones along the way that upon my arrival the sun had set and my journey was over". To this the Angel, replied, "Treasures are enjoyed, not found, at a journey's end, but collected along the way. Did I not instruct you to gather pebbles and stones along the way? Go and take joy in the treasures you've gathered". The angel then disappeared.
The three travelers then went to their satchels to find the pebbles and stones they had gathered and to their astonishment the pebbles had turned into precious gems--diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies and the rocks had turned into pure gold.
The first rider pulled out his one rock of gold and small handful of precious gems was now more wealthy than anyone in the town in which he lived. While overjoyed with his new found riches, he knew that in his haste to finish the journey, he had missed priceless opportunities along the way.
The second rider pulled out four large gold rocks and a few handfuls of precious gems and was immediately the wealthiest person in the region in which he lived. While overwhelmed with his new found fortune, he knew that if he would have been willing to have parted with his now comparably worthless earthly belongings he could have had unfathomable wealth.
The third rider discovered his satchels were filled to overflowing with gold and gems, he was now the richest person in the whole world. Free of regret his joy was full.
Let the lesson of the three travelers be a warning in our lives that we need to slow down and enjoy our journey, seeking out new and old friends in which to share experiences and our abundance. In so doing we will find rest and joy at the end of our lives savoring the priceless memories and relationships we have gathered along the way.
-- Robert M. Flynn
