The brown dirty poles were spanned by rusty wire. Set in the fence was an old gate which seemed to be barely hanging on its hinges. Sitting on a round, wooden, weather beaten stool was a man.

The man was confident and content. The dusty road that ran through the fence seemed to disappear over the horizon at the top of a hill not so far away.

A young man approached the older, and said, “I would like to pass please. I am in a hurry to see what is over the hill, and all that is waiting for me there.”

The older man asked, “Are you ready?”
“Yes, of course! I am on fire!” replied the enthusiastic younger man.
“You’re not ready.”
“What!?”
“Come back when you’re ready.”

The young man turned away frustrated, and whispered under his breath, “How difficult can it be? Anyway all I want do is see what is on the other side.”

A short while later the young man reappeared at the gate. More confident this time. He sauntered up to the man at the gate and stated boldly, “I am ready, to see what is on the other side of the hill!”

“You’re not ready.”
“Why? I have thought and meditated, and imagined what is waiting for me there. I have prepared myself. I am ready!”
“Come back when you’re ready.”

“I don’t understand.” the young man mouthed as he walked away, shoulders drooped.

Some time later the young man approached the man at the gate. He stopped and leaned on the top of the gate. He looked down to the older man, who had the slightest hint of a smile. The young man looked back to the hill and said, “It is not what is on the other side of the hill that is important, it is the hill itself!”

The older man stood slowly and stretched. He unhitched the clasp and said to the young man, “You may pass.”
“Thank you.” responded the young man with a sigh of relief, and he started up the hill.

The hill was especially steep, and it was hot, and dusty. It seemed to drag on forever! There were rocks and stones. The young man turned often to see the man at the gate sitting there. As the young man licked his parched lips and tried to swallow, he was tempted to turn back. In fact he was tempted often!

After a while, the young man’s attitude to the hill changed. He decided that he would walk upright, he would not complain, he would be grateful that he was allowed to walk the path. As he straightened up his aching back and pushed back his shoulders, he was amazed to see that he could almost see over the rise. He started running, and unbelievably leaped over the rise.

The young man grew in stature, and wisdom. He was blessed. He found favour, and abundance and fulfilment. The young man never forget the older man. He decided one day to go and check up on him. He walked casually down the dusty road. To his horror the man was no longer there. There was just a note pinned to the barbed wire. The young man reached over and read what the older man had written:

“You have contemplated the hill, you endured and persevered. You also saw, and experienced what was on the other side of the hill. I have fulfilled my purpose here. Please take your seat…”

As the man sat down, he saw a young man walking up the road toward the gate. There was just a hint of a smile as he watched the brash over-confident strides. He knew what was to follow, after all he was now…

…the man at the gate.

By Justin Lippiatt
Email: JustinLi@Nedbank.co.za
Reprinted with permission

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