The Dreamseller_ The Calling - Augusto Cury [39]
Solomon was startled at the Miracle Worker’s rudeness. Edson put his hands on his head, realizing that once again he had displayed his weakness for the supernatural. This time, however, he’d gone too far. He had wanted to cast out the mental illness lodged in the man’s brain. But Solomon looked wounded.
“I’ve been called crazy, psychotic, mad, demented, insane, bonkers, off my rocker, but possessed by demons is a first,” he said.
Edson saw how deeply he had hurt the young man. He realized that deep down, he had trouble accepting people who were different, and, in effect, was selling nightmares instead of dreams.
“Forgive me. Please, forgive me,” Edson said solemnly. “I was stupid and unjust and superficial. I actually think you’re much stronger than me. You put up with mockery while I look for applause.”
Edson’s honest and courageous words fascinated us. He had begun to achieve one of the most difficult miracles, that of humility. Like him, I had never asked for anyone’s forgiveness. We were small gods, I in the temple of knowledge, Edson in the temple of spirituality. We were beginning to understand that we only became strong when we allow ourselves to be fragile.
That moment of honesty broke the ice. We introduced ourselves to the young man and began to become part of his life. He had attempted to study psychology but had to give it up because his professors said an obsessive couldn’t treat the mentally ill. He tried law school but had to give it up because his professors said an obsessive with such wild obsessions wouldn’t be taken seriously by his clients, much less when presenting arguments in court.
He hadn’t lasted three months at any job. No one wanted to hire a person seemingly unable to control his behavior. He didn’t have a girlfriend because no one wanted to be with someone who was constantly being insulted. His whole existence was based on exclusion. Nevertheless, he was a very strong human being, as the dreamseller had imagined. Despite those mounting difficulties he hadn’t become depressed or thought about taking his own life, as I had. He had serious issues, to be sure. But despite those moments when he felt rejected, he had learned to enjoy life. He lived better than the disciples. We were the ones who needed to buy dreams from him, and he knew it.
Entering that young man’s world was a marvelous journey. We discovered a fantastic human being hidden behind society’s ridicule. And we were proud to have him along when the dreamseller called him to be a seller of dreams.
The dreamseller led us to an open green space and began to tell us the story of another Solomon, the great king of Israel. The dreamseller explained that King Solomon had had an excellent start in life. He didn’t want gold, silver or political power; he wanted that most coveted of treasures, wisdom. Every day, he breathed and drank wisdom. His kingdom progressed prodigiously, becoming one of the first ancient empires, and its relationship with neighboring nations was marked by peace.
But time passed, and power corrupted him. He abandoned wisdom and sought out the pleasures of the physical world. Soon, nothing satisfied him. He became profoundly depressed and was honest enough to admit that he was bored with his life. That vain existence robbed him of life’s joys.
“The great king had hundreds of wives, chariots, palaces, servants, armies, golden garments, honors and victories like few kings before him,” the dreamseller said, “but he neglected to love a woman and to regard the delicate lilies of the field, which represent friendship and so many other fundamental things.”
As he was about to elaborate on the last lesson, my unpredictable companion chimed in and once more made everyone burst with laughter.
“Chief, may I say something?” asked Honeymouth.
“Of course, Bartholomew,” he said patiently.
“Maybe Solomon got depressed because he had hundreds of mothers-in-law?”
The dreamseller laughed and offered, “I don’t know, but I do know there are some mothers-in-law more lovable than many mothers.” And he concluded with this