By Michael Hall

The best way I can describe the journey you are about to embark on is by an analogy.Imagine yourself on a wide open plain. This plain is very familiar to you because it is the world as you now know it. You see all the faces that are familiar to you, and you feel rather comfortable. But in the middle of this plain you see a large cylindrical tower that reaches far into the sky. Most of the people around the plain view it as strange and out of place. Now and again there are a few curious people who go to the base of the tower to see what it is all about. But they quickly run back to the plain in fear of what the rest of their society might say.

But there are those few who decide to open the door to the tower regardless of what the others think. The first thing you notice about the tower is that is very dark, cold, and uncomfortable. The only sources of light are man-made, thus artificial. The initial reaction of many to this environment is to flee back to the plain. But there are some who decide to go further.

Those brave few notice a solid spiral staircase in which they can only see a few steps ahead of them, as a spiral staircase is constantly turning. They also cannot look up and see where it is heading. The only thing they know is that they are going up. Around and around the staircase they go, with each step learning a little bit more.

But once again, the majority of the travelers up the staircase are doomed to fail. The reason is their impatience. They want to get to the top so fast that they recklessly take the shorter route, which is the inside portion of the steps. What they fail to realize is that the shorter route may be faster, but it is unsafe. As we know, the inside portion of a spiral staircase’s steps are much narrower than the outside portion. Thus, you are less likely to have firm footing and more likely to fall. And when they do fall, they fall all the way down to the base of the tower. After the fall, most people decide to rejoin the people on the plain rather than attempt the climb again. But still some of the fallen will try to ascend again. So to avoid a fall, take the outside route up the stairs. Ensure you have firm footing before taking the next step. It may take longer, but it will be worth while in the end.

Now, as we know, a spiral staircase, in addition to going up, also goes in circles. You cover the same area, just on a higher level. So much of the time on your journey you retrace the same steps you have taken before. But there seems to be something different the higher you go. You start seeing cracks of light coming through the walls. This light allows you to see the steps in a different way, but not necessarily any more clearly. You still clutch on to your trusty flashlight or torch for your main light source. As you ascend further, the cracks in the walls become larger and larger. So sometimes you use your flashlight, and sometimes you don’t. You still cannot abandon your flashlight just yet, for much of the tower is still in shadow.

At this point in your journey, you most definitely are tired. Every traveler up the staircase needs to rest. Some once; others many times. Some still decide to climb, but they fall due to exhaustion. So it is important to remember to rest as often as needed to avoid falling down the stairs.

Once again you are climbing, and you are beginning to see the walls disappear. But the stairs keep going up. Before you know it, all the walls are gone and you look down on the plain far below. What you notice is that the plain is completely different from how you remember it. You start to see things as they truly are, not just from your old skewed perspective.

At this point, you have two choices. You can choose to keep going up the staircase which has no end in sight. Or you can choose to go back to the plain. Although it is true that there is more to be learned on this tower, you run the risk of being lost in the clouds. The wiser choice is to descend to the plain. But before you descend, you notice that there are countless other towers in the horizon. Knowing this, you become determined to explore the other towers as well. You have learned the skills to climb one tower. The same skills apply to the rest.

On your way to the next tower, you will come across the peoples of the plain. They will now view you as they do the towers, strange and out-of-place. Do not let them hinder you, for you know the truth. And as a seeker of the truth, it becomes your duty to let the truth be known. However, it is wise not to reveal everything you have learned on your journey, but just enough to give others a taste of what to expect if they climb the towers for themselves.