The Fool noticed a door in the large oak tree behind the Hermit. The flicker of the lantern gave it away. It wasn’t exactly a secret door, but it wasn’t being advertised, either. The Fool stood up and walked over to the door, and the Hermit didn’t say or do anything, so the Fool opened the door and walked in.
The door led to a large salon with a marble floor. A hanging curtain was drawn to the side, revealing a woman lying across a day-bed in the nude. There were wine goblets on the ground before the woman, and also behind her, on a ledge. She was holding one in her hand casually.
Come in, the woman said, enjoy some refreshments.
Next to the Fool was a large pitcher of water that had lime and cucumber slices in it. The Fool poured himself a glass and drank the refreshing drink. He greedily gulped it.
Slow down, the woman said, it is flavored to be savored.
The Fool knew she was right, and let the water sit in his mouth for a bit while he tasted the sweetness and the sourness of the lime. The crispness of the cucumber mixed in. He closed his eyes to concentrate on it more and let the fluids trickle down his throat.
The woman laughed as the Fool sighed in satisfaction from the flavored water.
See? she said. You have to slow down and enjoy life a little.
I can’t stay, the Fool responded. I have to go on this journey.
I know, she said. I’m not here to stop you, but it is important to stop and smell the roses sometimes.
A bouquet of aromatic roses appeared next to him. He stuck his nose into the fragrant flowers and took a deep sniff. The Fool remembered how much he loved the smell of roses. This world and this journey were making him so focused on getting from point A to point B that he was forgetting to enjoy some of the views, smells, and sights along the way.
He started to appreciate the way the unbalanced life could cause great dissatisfaction, like the man who left his vineyard to find something that wasn’t there, or the meditating man so deep in meditation that he didn’t even see the gifts laid at his feet, or the man fuming on the three spilled cups and ignoring the two that still stood.
The Fool and the woman shared a meal together. It was delicious, and she would go into great poetic explanation of each recipe and each serving. Each plate was put together like art. Not like art – each plate was art. The tastes, the smells, the feel of each bite was exquisite. Even the sizzle of some of the meat still cooking in its juices was beautiful. The Fool was in heaven.
After the meal, the woman played the harp for him. He felt the string of notes tell a story. He followed the sounds with his ears and saw colors and shapes. He laid down at her feet as she plucked each string.
Then they made love and savored each other. There was only one moment as their bodies joined, and that was the present moment. They devoured each other and gave each other great pleasure.
After they were done, the Fool knew it was time to return to the Hermit and find his next point to journey to. The woman knew it too. Neither of them were hurt, and dwelled on the gratitude of the shared experience rather than their parting. Some moments need to be long and other moments need to be short, but knowing when it needs to be long or short was the wisdom they both had for that short moment.
The Fool left the woman in the tree satisfied, grateful, and happy. When the Fool thought later about the woman in the tree, he only recalled happiness. He also knew, and felt grateful to know, that the moment could never be recreated.
The Hermit sat at the lantern with a knowing smile. I remember as well, he said.