A Little Push

It was 16,000 years ago when the guide had finished reading his favorite book for the three-millionth time. He knew this day would come and he had set a reward for when it had been achieved.

As the keeper of the maze, he had observed those seeking the end of it for all of eternity. After spending this much time there, knew every single millimeter of this maze- every hedge corner, every twist and turn, every hidden rune and hieroglyph and all the personalities of others who call the maze their home as well as those who are there as tourists who find themselves temporarily in the maze seeking their own individual end.

Although he had the knowledge to do so, he had never helped these tourists find the end

Until this day after finishing his favorite book 3×10⁶ times.

He approached a few of these maze tourists asking if they might want him to show them the way.

To his surprise, many didn’t even want his help!

Some had been tricked by fake guides in the past.

Others were too arrogant to accept help, thinking they could do it on their own.

Many didn’t want to pay the guide’s commission for the help (after all, why would he give away such valuable information).

Until he came across a man.

A smart, knowledgeable, and capable man who was experiencing his first venture in this maze. The guide was a bit surprised that this man accepted his help, as he was seemingly capable of finding the Upward Spiral on his own, but perhaps there was something missing…. something small yet important.

So, they started strolling the maze and getting to know each other at a walking pace. The tourist had accepted the Guide’s help, and the Guide was getting a better understanding of this man’s individual situation. This way he can better give directions to find the end of the maze.

It seemed like a straight-forward path, until something unexpected happened. As they approached an intersection, they had the choice of proceeding in one of 12 different directions.

Or so it seemed… until these 12 directions suddenly started to warp. They blended in with each other.

One direction started looking like another. They blurred and twisted into each other and swirled into a blurry whirlwind until only the center of the intersection was visible.

The two were in the middle of this directional tornado for several weeks before the winds started calming down. When they finally did, they found themselves on a small grassy knoll with nothing, nothing surrounding it.

The tourist looked around with a puzzled, scared look on his face. It is pitch BLACK 360 degrees as far as the eye can see.

The guide walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. He shrugs and makes a very nonchalant facial gesture as if it were just any other day to him.

“So this is why you need my help….yes, yes, it makes sense now”

“Do you know how to get me out of here?”

“Son, do you have any idea of how LONG I’ve lived here? I know how to get out of here….

…All you have to do is jump”

The tourist instantaneously froze and expressed a stone-cold look on his face. Little did the guide know, that this man’s greatest fear was that of heights. He looked sick.

The tourist got on his belly and slowly inched his way towards the cliff so he could have a look for himself. When he was able to barely peek over the edge of the cliff, he quickly squirmed his way back to the center of the knoll next to the guide.

“It’s literally the only way out of here. If you jump, you’ll have your chance at the finding the end of the maze almost instantly. The only other option is for us to stay up here for the rest of eternity. I might like you…but I think we’d quickly get bored up here.”

He always had a nonchalant yet somewhat sarcastic way about him.

The man was stunned. He stood frozen for several fortnights contemplating his destiny before one day he made a move.

But when he did, it was definitive. The man walked with PURPOSE to the edge of the cliff and stood there.

“I need just a bit of encouragement. A little motivation. Give me something that will help me ease my mind”

The Guide approached the man until he was right behind him. He began lifting his arm and pointed his finger towards the middle of the tourists’ back so he can give him a push off the edge of the cliff. The man saw the guide about to nudge him off the cliff… and THAT’s when it happened.

The man with just a little encouragement leapt off the cliff and instantly he felt his stomach in the back of his throat. Then something incredible happened…bright colors of positivity, inspiration, and motivation began swirling around him. He faced his biggest fear and instead of feeling scared, he felt HAPPY, he felt ENERGIZED. Before the Guide was out of earshot, the man said, “THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE PUSH I NEEDED!!!!!!!”

To which the Guide said, “Never even touched you. Remember Lesson #1!”