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                                       Order in the Capricorn Trinity

Long, long ago, before man roamed the earth, it was ruled by three goats.

One was always looking forward to something and one was always looking back on something else; the third just did as he pleased as the day naturally unfolded. Each goat thought of themselves as being the most important in skills, knowledge and wisdom. They would often argue when they met as to who was definably the better. “Why don’t we all meet up at my place one day, thrash it out and settle the issue once and for all,” said present day goat.

“Agreed”, blurted out past goat, remembering past victories. This was followed by future goat’s aloof nod of approval as he smirked the smirk of an assured future ascendancy. Each was ebulliently confident of a crushing and lasting victory. . .  and what a victory it would be. Now, the word gloat may not have been invented then but its inception was imminent.

            Soon the day of the great argument, I mean reasoned debate, arrived, as did Past Goat and Future Goat at the entrance to the comfy cave that Present Goat at times called home.

“Please come on in, make yourselves comfortable,” invited Present Goat, to be rudely interrupted by Future Goat who’d got self important plans for later that day, “cut the rabbit out and let’s get down to it, I can’t hang about all day, there’s always something more to do out there.”

            “Tut tut tut,” admonished Past Goat, seeing himself now as the Goat of reason in this matter, “Don’t you learn anything from history, from the mistakes of your past, can’t you see the value of the past in molding your life for the better?” . . .  Past Goat was cut short sharply, “How dare you lecture me, Past Goat, you knackered old hoighty toighty  stick in the mud has been, you'll never aspire to anything because you can't see further than the beard on your face, in fact, you’re so stuck in the past your eyes should be in your backside”, countered Future Goat, “at least I'm going somewhere in life, my vision of the future allows me to dream of success, of heroic deeds, of ventures, of inventions and discovery. . .  if only you two too could see the future like I”.

“Tutu? Did I here Tutu mentioned? “Asked Present Goat who had until then been staring out of his cave entrance, bemused by the trees swaying in the wind across the valley, almost as if they were dancing together. He'd not really been listening much to the argument, after all what has argument to offer one that lives mostly in the present? ‘Nothing is the answer’, said Present Goat. (Assisting the author.)

They both glared at Present Goat who shrugged it off and said, “Time for our lunch I feel.” He continued, “I expect you have both brought packed lunches with you, you both knowing so much and all.”

Past Goat took out his lunch box and opened it. It was a disaster, everything was old and rotten, even a goat wouldn't want that stuff. “Ha Ha Ha”, snorted Future Goat with great sarcasm and glee. However, when he opened his own lunch box, it was empty, nothing to be seen at all, calamity. The future was yet to provide the apples and snacks he hoped for, they were indeed still yet to be planted and grown in a time perhaps yet to be. “Har Har Har, smarty pants, that'll teach you,” scoffed the now annoyingly hungry Past Goat.

             Meanwhile, Present Goat salivated over some fresh fruit he'd just picked and savoured every juicy morsel as he neither thought of past or future; he simply lived in the only time he had, the present. “The present is a present indeed,” he thought, staring across the valley at the wind playing in the trees and the clouds reflecting off the lake as the Sun made its way homeward for another glorious day in the life of Present Goat; a very content Present Goat.

            With great pomp and gusto, Past and Future Goats stomped out of the cave for the valley path and before they went separate ways they could clearly be heard bickering in the distance; they’d again learned nothing about how contented life really could be.  

Present goat did not over dwell on his uncontested victory, for part of him felt some empathy with his fellows; he too could so easily be one of them if not careful. He smiled, chewed some stuff and watched the trees in the wind and the shadows of clouds playing on the lake; he sighed the sigh of oneness with time and nature alike; the present.

   The end. . . or is such an end really ever possible?... Oh dear. . .   


            

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​​,

​​'That, which we often blindly seek, ​is in truth,
that within us, which is the seeker itself and always was.
It is the seeker in ourselves, we seek.'
​When you know this, you will be changed forever.

                                             RJS