The Walled Garden and the Man on the Wall
Once, there stood a walled garden, a place of unmatched beauty. Its towering stone walls, covered in ivy, shielded the paradise within, a world of endless flowers, winding stone pathways, and a central fountain that shimmered like liquid gold under the sun. This garden was not merely a place of beauty but a realm of peace, hidden from the chaos of the world outside.
Atop the high, ancient walls, there walked a man.
For as long as he could remember, he had wandered the edges of this paradise, peering down at the world within. He watched the people inside, saw their joy, their peace, their freedom. But he never stepped down. He believed that such a place was not meant for him.
One day, as he sat on the wall, head buried in his hands, overwhelmed by sorrow, his friends saw him. They had followed him for years, seeing his longing, understanding his hesitation. Gently, they called his name, their voices filled with warmth.
“Come down. Walk with us.”
But he shook his head. “I don’t belong there. That world is for others, not for me.”
His friends did not argue. Instead, they sat with him, sharing stories, reminding him of all the times he had helped them, of the kindness he had given to others.
Then, something changed.
From within the garden, the gatekeeper appeared, a wise, gentle soul who had watched the man for a long time. He stepped forward and, with a warm smile, opened the ornate wooden gate.
“You have always been welcome here,” he said.
The man on the wall looked at his friends, then at the open gate. For the first time, he saw what had always been true. He had been the only one keeping himself out.
With their hands guiding him, he stepped down from the wall and walked through the gate, his heart pounding with hope.
But that was not the end.
Once inside, he realized that others, too, sat upon the wall, just as he had, watching, hesitating, believing they did not belong.
So he and his friends began to build. A bridge. A stairway. A path. A way for all who sat on the wall to enter, whenever they were ready.
And in time, the garden was no longer just a hidden paradise. It became a place where all who longed for peace, all who feared they were unworthy, could finally step inside.
For it was never about earning a place within the garden. It was simply about choosing to walk in.
