Lan observed how his family behaved and he followed suit. There was a lot of chatter and many activities. He joined in with some effort. They treated him as one of them, never expecting his training to have moulded him differently. Lan didn't want to seem different and he acted along in spite of his training. He was thankful for having a personality now as opposed to his previous self image of being mere space. He loved these people.
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He saw Giva watering the plants in her garden next door. "Hello," she said with a smile. "You must be Lan. Trained by Bocun."
"Yes," Lan said.
"Wow," she said. "So you know the secret of the universe."
"I was not even allowed to accept a universe."
Lan felt sudden fear. He had spoken aloud about Bocun's methods and in fact, with a feeling of defiance.
"But why? It's there for all to see."
"It is!" he said.
Giva became Lan's friend and in the weeks that followed Lan found surprising courage and comfort to share his dilemma with her. He was outspoken about his teacher and reasoned from his own perspective. Giva understood what he was facing and easily suggested alternative thinking when he was stuck. Lan realised that she had seen him cry and get angry as well, all in connection with his breaking away from the binds of his training.
"I want to believe so much in diversity and life," he said to Giva one evening. "Especially since you are in it."
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His family which never discussed his training and Giva who addressed it directly, together hauled him out of the strong beliefs that had weighed him down.
Had Bocun been wrong? Had Lan been wrong in interpreting Bocun? For Lan, these were unimportant questions since he had more wonderful answers!
Concluded
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