The Flame Bearers
Dear readers, I am writing to you from the Place of the Common Light.
We have endured a long and hard journey across the desert. Our morale challenged by blinding sandstorms, a dwindling supply of food, and difficulties coaxing weary animals onward.
Three weeks into our journey, we saw something on the horizon. It looked manmadeâmaybe just another oasis. Had it been another mirage reflecting on the sand, we would not have been surprised.
But as we approached, we saw it standing there before us. Just as the entertainers had promised through their endless stories: The Place of the Common Light.
It is here that my companions and I hoped to find a strong Flame to light our torches and revive the Flame of our dying oasis that we call home.
It is now clear to us that the Place of the Common Lightâonce a major center for all peopleâhas now fallen into neglect. The great Flame that has burned for millennia is now only glowing remains of a pyre.
You may be curious as to why we abandoned our loved ones and risked our lives to venture toward a destination unknown to anyone until this very moment, so allow me tell you about the oasis we call home.
The Oasis we Call Home
Long ago, our ancestors made the opposite journeyâone from the Place of the Common Light to the oasis. They came to the oasis out of necessity. They needed a home suitable to long-term flourishingâsomething more than just the survival they were capable of at the Place.
Since the time of settlement, the oasis has become a thriving civilization with ample access to food, water, and shelter. And for that we are grateful.
Our ancestors worked extremely hard and had to be incredibly innovative to provide our generation with a life of comfort and abundance. From the stories the elders told, it was clear how much meaning was created working for the promise of a better life for each other and future generations.
Our ancestors are not only settlers of the oasis on which I grew up, but settlers of many more across the land.
It was said that the Common Lightâwhich has been burning since the first humans stuck fireâis the spirit that binds the many oases across the land.
However, many generations have passed since the days when we all lived at the Place. No one in the oasis really thinks or speaks of the Common Light anymore. And why should they when they are living lives of comfort, safety, and abundance?
The Decline
While there was plenty of flour for the bakers, advanced medicine for the doctors, resources for caregivers, and paint for artists; the oasis was showing signs of wear.
The Flame at the heart of the oasisâreminding us of our past and futureâwas running out of fuel.
All of those responsible for the wonderful oasis were lacking direction working in dim Light.
The school houses were falling apart, chefs had a difficult time keeping poison out of food, and the best scientists were busy building castles made of sand.
The libraries were full of readers, but fewer and fewer books were being produced each year, despite the perfect conditions for writers to thrive.
Those of us who recognized the decline knew we must embark on a journey across the desert to revive the Flame of the oasis.
Leaving the Oasis
No one was even sure if the Common Light existed, but some of us who felt the decline of the oasis felt obliged to try and find the Common Light to revive our Flame.
A variety of reasons motivated individuals to join our group and embark on this journey.
Some were yet to give up on childhood dreams fueled by stories about noble journeys like this one.
Some wanted to fill a void of meaning, often asking is there more? while enjoying a life of comfort and abundance.
Some were seeking the adventure of a lifetime.
The motivation or whether we discovered the Common Light mattered less than the journey itselfâa journey full of meaning because it was devoted to everyone on the oasis.
A Mixed Reception
Many didn't believe the purpose behind trying to revive this oasis, some feeling that we could just move to a new oneâeven if we made it to the Common Light.
While my tribe lived in abundance, there were tribes on the oasis struggling to meet their basic needs. There was no expectation of these members joining our journey, though some still did.
Then there were members of our tribe that were physically incapable of the journey, so it was unreasonable to ask them to come.
And finally, there are those responsible for the abundance of love in our oasis. They should not be asked to leave either. The caregivers and artisans who form the beating heart of the oasis.
Those who see our journey as meaningless overlook the undeniable meaning created living for others and pursuing collective flourishing.
Without those back home who make life worth living and raise up future generations, we would not embark on a journey to bear the Flame.
And that is why we are here, at the Place of the Common Light.
We are the Flame Bearers
Those of us who undertook the journey recognize the Flame's existence, while many others carry it unknowingly.
Countless Flame Bearers before us have witnessed the Light blaze brilliantly, and numerous successors will again nurture it back from embers.
Though sustaining the Flame is essential, artists, caregivers, and scientists all thrive, producing their finest and most inspired work when its Light burns brightest.
A flourishing Flame can be seen from any oasis. It reminds us all of our purpose here.
There is no conclusion to this tale. We know the burden we must bearâto see that the Common Light burns a little bit brighter for all of those on Earth that stand to benefit from it.