People kept coming to the countless-ages-wise gray-haired elder, one afteranother. They silently bowed their heads as a sign of reverence before him, inorder to hear that long-awaited, sacred wish, “Go with God!”

An hour passed after an hour, time shrank and stretched straight intoinfinity, the procession of people who desired to receive his parting blessingstill did not want to come to an end, but the elder seemed to feel no fatigue.He tenderly embraced each of those who approached, and then gazed intently intothe eyes of the person who came to visit him, as if checking whether he had thestrength of spirit to carry his own cross – traveling by the path intended forhim – but regardless of what he saw there, in the bright peaks and dark depthsof every human soul that trusted him, the elder’s answer was always the same,“Go with God!”

Someone, having received his blessing, was smiling happily – and anotherseemed to be slightly sad. Some people’s eyes were clearing up, while othershad tears in theirs. Someone was joyfully jumping out of the hall as if he hadjust gained wings – however, there were also those who barely dragged theirfeet, as if their invisible cross was already pressing on their backs inadvance. But there were none who would not bow down before him.

The elder knew beforehand what would happen to each of those who came tobow to him – who would return to his hall reborn, and who would throw theirsaving crosses halfway in the roadside mud or smear themselves with dirt. Whowould reach the end of the journey, having honorably overcome all thehardships, and who would one day turn back. Who in the end would be grateful tohim, and who would blaspheme for the severity of his own path. But the answerand blessing of the elder nevertheless stayed always the same, “Go with God!”

…Hour followed hour, day came after day, century after century. People keptcoming to their Maker for a blessing, in order to go on a new life’s journey.Eternity was ready to wait for their arrival.