The Man On The Rocks

Today is going to be like every other morning before it. I will wake up angry and depressed be completely absorbed in my job have no time to relax or hang out with my friends or co-workers get stuck in traffic on the way to my job be screamed at by my boss and as punishment for being late be swamped with extra work.

I wont be home till late. Today as I soon found out would be much different. I woke up on time which I chalked up as a streak of luck as I pulled out of the drive I saw a man walking down the road carrying a back pack I drove by him on my way to work.

I stopped and asked where he was heading he said i’m heading out to the rocks. Curious by his response I offered him a ride he said no thank you the bond between me and the rock is as old as time. I chuckled he waved and I was on my way.

 I made it to work on time checked in checked out a typical day crunching numbers and inputting data on to books and logs. On the way home I again saw the man this time coming back from the other direction. 

I once again stopped and offered a ride to which he said I prefer to walk it reminds me that I am the only one who will walk my path in life no one else can. Again I smiled he waved and I went on my way For once I got home early and I decided to take a shower. I got dressed for bed as I lay down drifting to sleep something the old man said kept in my mind.“I will walk it reminds me that I am the only one who will walk this path in life” the simplicity and elegance of that statement astounded me. 

As I awoke the next day I expected to see the man again but to my surprise I did not. So I went to work and on my way home I again did not see the man anywhere. I went to look for the man in the direction he walked everyday shortly after walking I found a path this path led to a beach and beside the beach a cave. I looked around briefly before noticing a small light illuminating the cave entrance so I walked towards the cave.

 It was there that I saw the man sitting on a flat rock staring out at the waves crashing along the beach from the cave. He just sat and stare and then I noticed the cave walls painted with elaborate pictures of the ocean,animals,the sky,people then I saw my car in perfect detail with me in the drivers seat. 

I approached the man but before I could speak the man said sit to which I sat next to him on another rock and he said I am the man on the rock after which he paused and said you are a man on a rock and nothing else should matter. Then he just stair out at the waves then again the man spoke up and said all of these paintings are memories. Memories of pants animals and people who have helped me in some way get to where I am now and be who I am now. 

As I stay quiet he continued and said the deer was my first meal,the bird my first memory,the waves my new yard,the dog my best friend all I have here is my home. I then asked the man why he had painted me I had not impacted his life in anyway. 

To which he said not true every morning you have stopped and offered me a ride though you where clearly late and also upset you have reminded me of kindness and that it will always be out there. So in turn you have made me happier with the world and I now understand what the rock wants from me. I then said i’m sorry but I am confused its a rock how can it want anything? He simply said yes it is a rock just as you are a man. It has needs just as you do this rock has taught me all I know. Understanding now that he meant that this is all we as people really needed I notice a small crop area on the beach,an old fire pit,new caught fish beside a spear hanging upside down drying. Then once again the man spoke and said I have lived like this since I was born right here in this cave as my father and his before him have however the truth is I have no son to pass on the tradition. I was the man on the rock then he stood and walked on the sand through the waves in the ocean distance and disappeared but before he was to far away he said to me you are the man on the rock. 

Today was like any other day I get up check the fish,cook,eat go for a swim, paint my experiences on the cave walls then I would walk my normal route up the road. but today I saw a car as it approached the man offered me a ride and asked where I was headed. I said no thank you the bond between me and the rock is as old as time  after which he drove off and I went home and sat on the rock looking at the walls of the cave then sky I said I am the man on the rock.