Illumination

He’d walked across a continent for months, been shot at by warlords, robbed by bandits and harassed by beggars. Now, nearing journey’s end, he paused, wiped the sweat from his brow and took a swig from his fast dwindling water bottle. It did little to assuage his raging thirst. The sun beat down with murderous intensity, the mountain he’d started to climb yesterday looked just as high, just as daunting as ever.  He struggled on knowing he must reach the top.

The day wore on and still he climbed tearing his blistered fingers upon razor rocks. He bore it stoically this lone pilgrimage meant more to him than life itself. He would know, at last he would know.

At sunset he was near the top but as darkness fell he knew that further progress was impossible. He made camp as blazing day turned into bitter night. He huddled frozen in his tiny tent shivering, suffering through the long dark night.

He arose early then in the pre-dawn glow painfully struggled ever upward, his every breath an agony in the thin mountain air.

As the first rays of the rising sun brought a new day he finally arrived. The ancient Guru was sat in meditation welcoming the dawn. Without opening his eyes he intoned ‘Greetings my son why have you journeyed?’

‘I want to know the meaning of life great master.’ The man said reverently ‘Can you guide me please?’

The great guru solemnly arose without answering and went into his cave. He returned after a few minutes and said ‘Well, according to Google....’