Jarl pulled away from me, but there was a knowing look in his eyes. He’d noticed my reaction and my uncouth smelling of him. He winked at me, like an unspoken agreement to share a secret.
That bothered me. For someone who followed a “true” god, he didn’t’ have a problem with using half-truths and secret keeping. I didn’t like inconsistencies in people – either in their words or actions. It meant I’d missed something about them.
“We’re glad you are here. Have you eaten? I was just about to have my morning meal brought in.”
“No.”
Jarl rang a gong and within minutes several people wheeled in a cart filled with a breakfast spread. Once they left I ate quickly, but not so fast that I wasn’t able to slip Muffin a few pieces of bacon.
“We have a sermon this morning and after that, you’ll be assigned a mentor.”
“And what am I to do with my mentor?”
“Listen, learn, and feel.”
“That’s it?”
“While what I said sounds simple, it’s anything but easy. It can be the simple things that we find the most difficult. To open your mind, heart and soul to new perspectives can be insurmountable to some people. It requires giving up control and just being present in the moment. And, to trust in the unknown.”
“I’ll do my best, but you should know that I’ve never had a challenge that I couldn’t overcome.”
“Then, this should be a very interesting experience for you. One more thing before Isa returns, you can come to me with any questions you have about what you learn. Although, Isa is your best resource as your mentor. My door is always open.”
He ran a gong and Isa directed me out.
Before the door shut, Jarl called out, “Remember what I said, Marty.”
Isa took me to their storage room to get my own seeker robe. It lacked the bright colors of the other robes. It was a drab brown and without any design or embroidery on the hem like the other ones.
Then Isa took me to the library for my very own copy of Book of Truth. She described it as a devotional to The True One. We went from there to the meditation room – the only part of the morning I enjoyed.
After the meditation, we moved into a spacious room that was already filled with other disciples, as Isa explained their followers were called. Once I pledged to The True One, I’d be a rising disciple. Until then, I remained a seeker And if I was baptized, then I became a full disciple.
“We’ll make it just in time for today’s sermon,” she said.
We entered the temple and found an empty wooden bench to sit on. What was the deal with these concrete-hard benches? It was standard church seating and my butt would be numb by the time this sermon finished.
I received lots of curious looks and some outright stares from the other people. No one came up to talk to me though. The hundreds of people in the temple were oddly quiet. An air of expectation hung heavy around me.
At the front of the room was a marble altar, with flecks of mica that caught the light, making them sparkle like gems. Aside from its sparkle, the next thing that caught my eye was its sheer size. It was big enough to fit a dragon. Carved waterfalls backed the altar. They spewed smoke instead of water. It was an eerie, but captivating sight, seeing the smoke travel down the carved path to the ground before rising up.
When Jarl took the stage, everyone stood and started clapping. In the row closest to the altar, one of the men reached out to touch Jarl’s robe. I was slow to rise, so Isa jerked me to my feet.
Muffin growled at her rough handling of me. She quickly dropped her hand and took a step away from me. That appeased my devil dog because he sat down at my feet.
“Please sit. Welcome disciples of The True One. May the grace of The True One be with you.”
“And may the grace of The True One be with you,” said the group.
“Before we start, I want to acknowledge our newest seeker. Marty, if you will stand.”
A spot light was directed on me. It wasn’t necessary. I was the only one in a brown robe. I got up and everyone clapped. Some said words of welcome to me. I quickly sat back into my seat.
“Today, I want to talk with you about openness. This is more than being friendly to strangers or each other. Rather, this is the ability to let go and explore what is out there. To come here every day with an open heart and mind,” said Jarl.
“It is only when we open our hearts and minds that we can feel the presence and power of The True One. We’ve been told of the gods and goddesses, but denied knowledge of our one true god, our benevolent god. Denied his love and acceptance. Denied having a relationship with him. That stops here and now. For each of you, that stopped the moment you stepped through the doors and embraced him. But there are so many more out there with closed hearts that do not know the love of The True One. I ask each of you to do pilgrimage to the city. Seek out the lost ones from the lowliest up to the loftiest of citizens. Show them the path of truth. Drink and have them partake of our offerings. It is for their benefit and can only help spread the word of The True One.”
“May The True One reign forever,” said a man in the group.
“Please turn to Unity, 5:1-3 The Book of Truth.”
My book creaked when I opened it, earning me several unfriendly looks at my audacity to interrupt their esteemed leader. Isa quickly helped me find the passage. I’d never been
