0. Fool
Beginnings, curiosity, leap of faith, potential
“I trust the road ahead and move forward
with an open heart.”
The Fool stands at the edge of the unknown. One foot forward, one still in the known. Perhaps it’s a feeling, a pull, a whisper. But over one shoulder he carries a small knapsack. Simple, unassuming, but meaningful.
The knapsack isn’t packed with supplies for survival. There’s no map, no compass, no detailed itinerary inside. It is light enough to be forgotten, yet has a great invisible weight. What lives inside it isn’t meant to prepare the Fool for every step ahead, but to remind them of something deeper, something fundamental. Their memory, intuition, legacy...
What kind of traveler would carry such a light bag? Someone aware that all that is important not everything can be carried in your hand. He knows that overpreparing for the journey will only hinder it.
Inside the knapsack, you might find the kind of object that holds no meaning for anyone else but resonates deeply for the person carrying it. The Fool does not need to know what every object is for. Carrying just a small bag symbolizes saying, “I’ll figure it out when I get there. I trust that what I need will show up when I need it.”
This can make you wonder: Do I need to initiate something new with assurances? Do I need to enter the unknown with an entire blueprint? Do I need to worry about looking unprepared just to stay true to myself?
We usually feel the urge to bring it all (our plans, achievements, abilities, ambitions) to show that we are ready. But perhaps readiness is not a checklist of what we bring to the table, but what we are leaving behind.
This Fool does not move because he is not brave, but because he is loyal. Loyal to life and to the hope that there is something ahead that is worth the stumble and the fall and the scary first steps.
And so, with just the minimum of essentials our Fool sets out. The tale does not wait for the Fool to become comfortable. The knapsack bumps gently against their back. It all starts with a step. It is simple and often overlooked, but it has become something special. Not just for what it is, but for what it could hold.
Reflections
- What journey would I begin if you trusted completely that I already possess everything I need within myself to succeed?
- Where in my life am I being called to take a leap of faith? Even if the destination or the outcome remains invisible.
- What would it feel like to place my trust in the journey, even before I fully know or understand its destination?