I was with Argoss as the fire was slowly dying and he told me.

Malcom, this is the last story you'll hear from me for a while. You won't come back here in your dreams from now on. You have all the stories you need to do what you have to do.

But what if I get lost? I asked.

You'll have to figure it yourself, he said. But remember, sometimes, getting lost is the only way to stumble upon places no one has ever seen. This one is called The Great Responsibility

Story

A long, long time ago, there was a curious monkey that had no name for monkeys cannot speak. He was the most curious, always observing, and asking himself a lot of questions.

One day, he was walking on the shore looking for shells as he felt a big gust of wind. He looked ahead and saw something strange happening. In a cove up ahead, the sea was agitated, which was unusual. The wind would pick up dirt and sand and bring those along in its dance. And what was that? Was that fire up in the air? That couldn't be!

His curiosity led him to approach, and when he got almost close enough to see - suddenly, a whirlwind swept him up in the air. In an instant, he found himself floating before the four Titans:
Terranox of Earth, Thalassia of Water, Zephira of Air and Ignar of Fire.

The titans were trying to decide what to do with him. They had met here to create one species that would be able to care for all of the others. But they had not expected for one species to come to them.

Zephira wanted to throw the money away, and Ignar agreed. It was Terranox, always the wisest, who was able to convince the other ones to keep him. He said that the monkey was curious, just like the sun and may be just what they needed.

Let's speak with him, said Terranox

So Zephira, with a gentle breath of wind touched the monkey's throat and suddenly he could talk.

Do you have a name, monkey, asked Ignar

But the monkey was panicked, still floating in the air.

Where am I? What am I doing with my mouth. I can speak! Oh, who are you?!

Ignar was displease by the monkey's panic and questions.

Don't disrespect us, monkey! Answer our question.

And as he spoke, he sent some flames to singed the monkey's fur. The monkey, afraid, shielded the top of head with his hand.

Enough, said Terranox.

He placed a great stone beneath the monkey's feet so he could stand. Thalassia sent a wave to douse the flames, and Zephira dried him up with a warm breeze.

The monkey stood, his fur almost all burnt, except from the top of his head and under his arms. The monkey didn't look like a monkey anymore. He looked like a human.

Thalassia repeated the question from earlier

Do you have a name, monkey

No, it replied.

Then you shall be named Argoss, said Terranox. It means "the one who thinks". Pause Argoss, we, the four titans of the Earth have chosen you for a great task. We want you to be a caretaker-not just of your kind, but of all living things. This is the greatest responsibility of all. To carry out this duty, you will be granted great powers. Do you accept this purpose given to you?

I blinked. That was how I was born.

I accept, I said. But I'm just one monkey. How can I do this alone?

Zephira spoke

I granted you the power to speak. Use it well, and with it, you may accomplish great things.
Let your words carry truth, not harm; clarity, not confusion. Speak to share, to guide, to lift and to mend - never to wound or deceive.
With this power, you will pass on your knowledge, and inspire the many.
Remember: Your voice is like the wind. It can create storms that tear things down, or it carry beautiful seeds across great distance. So, speak wisely.

Thalassia spoke

I grant you the power of awareness. Use it well, and with it, you may accomplish great things.
Let your eyes see more than shape, let your ears hear more than sound. Be present, and pay attention - to silence, to movement, to the stories in everything.
With this power, you will notice what others miss, understand what others ignore, and protect what others dismiss.
Remember: Your awareness is like the tide - it is never still, and knowing where its at will guide you.

Terranox spoke

I grant you the power to think. Use it well, and with it, you may accomplish great things.
Ask yourself a lot of questions and think deeply to understand. Let your thoughts be as steady as stone and as open as the sky.
With this power, you will imagine what does not yet exist, and choose what is right over what is easy.
Remember: You mind is a garden - tend it, and it will grow wisdom.

Finally, Ignar spoke

I grant you the power to love. Use it well, and with it, you may accomplish great things.
Let your love be the flame that warms, not the fire that burns. Love your kin, your kind, and all that walks, swims, flies or grows - for they are part of you.
With this power, you will heal what hate divides, lift those who have fallen, and carry light even in the darkest days.
Remember: Your love is like fuel. It brings warmth in your heart and spread from your to another.

I had now four gifts from the four Titans.

Terranox gave a reminder

Argoss, with great power, comes great responsibility. Remember what you have been chosen for. You are tasked to care for all living things, and keep everything in balance, as best as you can. From the rocks, to the rivers, to the air you breathe, to the forests, and all the animals that belongs. You are the caretaker. Do you promise to take this responsibility?

Yes, I am, said Argoss

Ignar added a warning.

Don't you dare forget your promise. If you fail, we will remind you. The earth will shake, the ocean will send storms your way, and bad fires will destroy your forests. Remember your purpose to keep the balance of the Earth, or else, you will be reminded the hard way.

I will, said Argoss.

I was returned to the cove where he had come from. I stood there, with my new powers: my voice, my awareness, my mind and my love. With it, I went back, resolute, into the forest. I would keep my promise.

I needed to teach others - to guide them - but how could I teach if I did not understand yet? I knew nothing.

So I started my journey, not by speaking, but by listening with my power of awareness. Earth would show me the way.

I entered the forest and stumbled upon a great oak tree. I bowed in respect and I asked:

Oh great tree, what is your role?

The great oak tree replied,

“We stand to shield the forest from the wind and the rain. We hold the soil, so that the plants may grow. We give home to the birds and food to the animals. We are not just trees. We are guardians.”

I thanked the tree for his role in keeping the forest healthy and bid him farewell.

I then met a young deer, bowed in respect and asked him what his role was.

“We eat what grows too fast. We clear space for new life. Without us, the plants would crowd the forest. But too many of us, and the forest suffers. We are keepers of the middle path.”

I thanked the deer for his role in keeping the forest healthy and bid him farewell.

I then met a wolf, bowed my head in respect, and asked him what his role was.

“We chase the deer, not to destroy them, but to keep them moving. We test the sick and the slow. We make the deer stronger. We protect the plants by guiding the herd.”

I thanked the wolf for his role in keeping the forest healthy and bid him farewell.

I continue on my journey and learned many a thing.
I learned from the bees how flowers turn into fruits.
I learned from the birds how seeds are scattered.
I learned from the mushroom how fallen things turn into soil.

I dug my hands into the soil and asked the soil,

And you?

The soil hummed an answer with the voice of Terranox

“I feed the forest from below, for everything needs food. Soil is life. When I am left bare, I dry and die. But when you care for me, when you feed me in return, I provide food for everyone. Treat me with respect, and I will be your ally.”

I saw a fire in the forest and asked the fire,

Why do you burn?

And the fire answered with the voice of Ignar,

“I am renewal and destruction for everything needs to die. Fire is life. When I burn too hot, I scar the land. But when I burn just right, I clear the dead, return ash to the soil, and make way for new life. Treat me with respect, and I will be your ally.”

To cool down, I went to the river, and asked the river,

What is your way?

The river whispered with the voice of Thalassia,

“I bring life to the forest for everything needs to drink. Water is life. When I'm polluted, everything I feed will become sick. But when you care for me, I bring care for everything. Treat me with respect, and I will be your ally.”

I sat down and breathed deeply under the breeze and asked it,

What is your way?

The breeze replied with the voice of Zephira,

"I bring life to the forest for everything needs to breather. Air is life. When I'm full of black smoke, people who breathe me become sick. The plants take care of me by cleaning me, then I can make people healthy. Treat me with respect, and I will be your ally.”"

From all these conversations, I realized a few things.
It was not about one thing being better than the other. It was all about balance, and to keep this balance, respect is the key.

I realized that not one forest was the same, and so not one solution could work for all.

I learned that diversity was key so no single weakness could destroy the whole. Yet, too much diversity led to confusion and struggle.

I noticed the same with age.
A forest of only old trees blocked the light and fell slowly.
A forest of only young trees had no strength to resist wind or drought.
Both were vulnerable.

As time went by and I saw the seasons change, I understood that forests change. They're always becoming something new. The fast-growing trees die to give place to the slow-growing ones.

Nothing stays the same, yet this too was balance.

I had learned all the pieces, but had to figure how they fit together to form the whole. All was woven into a great web of life. Each thread attached to another. Each part existed not for itself, but for all.

I was ready then to share my revelations:

"We are part of the forest, so what is true for it is also true for us.
We change over time. I am not who I used to be and I will become someone else.
We are all unique - what works for one does not work for all.
Time changes - what works now may not work tomorrow.
Balance is not place, it is a practice.
To keep the forest in balance, we must also balance ourselves
If we do not care for our body — by moving, resting, and eating — we will grow weak.
If we do not care for our mind — by thinking, wondering, and remembering — we will grow dull.
If we do not care for our spirit — by loving, giving, and being grateful — we will grow lost.
And to know when something is out of balance, we must first be aware.
That is our gift. Trees are not aware. But we are.
That means that we can help the Earth, and the Earth will help us back.
And it's simple, we need to treat the Earth, and ourselves with Respect.

Argoss paused to look at me.

I know what you're thinking. Am I the person from this story? Am I the first human that has accepted the responsibility to keep balance on Earth? Am I here because the people in your time have forgotten our responsibility and our ways? Did I enter your dreams to make you remember, so that maybe you'll share it with others? Remember the first lesson about stories. This is just a story. You can chose to believe or not. You can chose to remind others about our responsibility to keep everything in balance and show them that they're doing the opposite. You can chose to believe, but more likely than not, you already believe it if you're still here.

I didn't know what to say, so stayed quiet as the fire died down, and I woke up, never to see Argoss again.

7 - Why good enough lead to better results