…Revolution

Let me tell you a story about a man who thought he could change the world.

He was a loving man; a family man. He lived in a happy house, in a happy town, surrounded by happy people. He worked hard everyday to make life easier for his wife, and his children. He worked hard everyday but it made him happy, because he lived in a happy house, with his happy family, in his happy town.

His wife also worked hard everyday, but she too was happy, because her husband was happy, and her family was happy. And she lived in her happy house, with her happy family, in this ever so happy town.

But over time, the darkness of the outside world crept into this happy town until one day, the strong man wasn’t happy anymore. He asked his wife how this could be…he had everything he needed, everything he wanted. He wondered what life would be like outside of his happy home, of the happy town with which he’s lived his entire life. His mother and father, who have always been his guiding light in times of stress, have lived here their whole lives, and they’ve always been happy. Always.

He wondered why he was having these thoughts. Thoughts of leaving his happy life behind in this happy town to venture outside to the dark…the cold, unforgiving outside world. The evil that so many have attempted to keep away from this happy town.

Soon he started to ask questions of his coworkers…questions met with concerned looks, or puzzled gazes. “Why would you want to do that?” remarked his friends. “Aren’t you happy?”

But the man wasn’t happy. He was…empty.

Soon, the happy town started talking about the man who wanted to leave. They talked about how interesting it was that he even thought about leaving such a happy town, where so many people were so happy. How maybe they could also travel outside of the happy town to find out what the outside world had to offer.

And this made our king very unhappy.

You see, because curiosity breeds dissent. And dissent is a very unpleasant, and unwanted thing to a king and his happy town.

So the king went to the man who’s idea sparked the towns curiosity. For if curiosity is the oil, the idea is the match that lights the fire of dissent.

And the king offered the man all the riches he could ever want, and all the happiness he could buy with it. But still, the man’s wants couldn’t be bought with gold, and his happiness was no longer rooted in the happy town.

So the king took his children.

And he said to the man, “think very carefully. You live in a happy town, surrounded by happy people. You’ve lived here all of your life, and you’ve always only been happy. Why would you ruin that for yourself? Why would you ruin that for your family?”

The man, in tears, nodded his head. The king, wise beyond the years of man, allowed him to carry on his life.

The man and his wife, now very much unhappy, began to weep. In mourning, then in sadness, then in anger.

They had been happy their whole lives. Lived happily together, and raised happy children. But this small idea…this…harmless thought has begun to untie the very fabric of their lives.

Soon, the man and his wife started to cause distractions among the people inside the happy town. Fueled by their pain, they would kick and scream, throwing tantrums like children in every shop they went into. Every person they encountered received an ear full of anger, and pain. They started to build a following of curious, and angry townsfolk; all questioning the wisdom, and fairness of the glorious king.

That’s when the riots started. The man and his wife went from building to building, hellbent on destroying everything in their paths. Their followers, grouped by the hundreds, laid waste to the happy town and it’s beautiful sites.

Well the king could not allow this type of rebellion to last any longer. He and his finest men went into the happy town and cut down the rebels, each spilling the first ounces of blood onto the streets of the happy town. They fought in the name of justice, and in the honor of the glorious king, and his happy town.

The king made his way to the man and his wife. As the two rebels gazed unto the king, fear struck their eyes; for the consequence of their insubordination was certain death. The king offered them one final reprieve – “Kneel down before me, and pledge your undying loyalty, and I will let you live under my close watch. Defy me…and you will watch each other die.”

The man grabbed his wife’s hand, and looked lovingly into her eyes a final time. “Let her live, and take my life. As long as I live, I can never be loyal to you, for all that you have done. And I will forever long to see your head on a pike, raised high above this happy town.”

The king had heard enough. He struck down the man before the wife’s eyes. The man who had lived his life in a happy home, surrounded by a happy family, and a happy wife. A wife he loved enough to give up his own life for, and a wife who loved him just the same.

The king imprisoned the wife following the rebellion, honoring the man’s final request. For it is unwise to keep idea makers around the curious, and the discontent.

She remained in the king’s court following her imprisonment, per the king’s orders, to remain under a close watch, and to entertain the royal children and guests.

Of tales about a man, who tried to change the world.