colinjcampbell

Once upon a time, in a land long forgotten, lived a little girl. This girl was important by no means, yet little did she know that she would change the world. One day as she was walking home, she happened to see something that she had never laid eyes on before. She had found the smallest iota of truth, something long lost in her world. Parents had often kept this legend quiet, scolding children for mentioning the forbidden word in jest; while the elderly would sometimes reminisce when the weather was especially cold or the or the night a tad too quiet. However, today, it was no legend, no myth; it was right in her hand: she had a truth. She placed it gingerly in her pocket and ran home, for fear of being caught with her new treasure. Being only a little girl, she did not know what to do with the truth, and so she hid it under her pillow to keep it safe. Unfortunately, she found that the longer she kept it hidden, the smaller and duller it grew. Finally, one day she put it back in her pocket and went to her friend, a little boy. While some little boys are mischievous and naughty, this little boy was good and loyal. He listened as the little girl whispered about her finding, and as he listened, his eyes grew wide and his face pale. He did not say anything though, for he was so amazed that this could happen. When she finished her story, she looked at him and knew that the little boy could be trusted to see the truth now. So she pulled it out of her pocket, wrapped only by her tiny hand, and held it out for him to see. He gasped and, at first, dared not touch it, but at the little girl's coaxing, he finally picked it up and felt something he had never felt before. It gave him a warm, pleasant feeling that only something pure and good can give a person. After a few moments, he gave it back, and they walked slowly back towards their houses. Being only little children, they were uncertain of what to do, but they did know one thing: they had to share the news of the truth with others, or it would die. At first, they simply told the other little children at school that could be trusted. In return, those little children told more little children about the finding. While all this was going on, the truth began to grow. So much that, the little girl had to move it to under her bed. As the story spread among the school, little children began to ask their parents about the truth. Some were scolded, but some were taken upon their mother's knee, and, with their heads being petted, were told of a time when truth could be found everywhere. With stories and memories flying around ever so carefully, the grown ups began to hope again. They began to hope that one day something would change. Of course, being grown ups, they knew that reality must prevail, and that silly stories from little children must not interfere with work or life. Still the truth grew, as more and more grownups began to hope and believe, and the little girl had to move it to her closet. Finally, one day, she could bear it no longer; the truth had grown so large that it was quite an imposition for her to keep to herself any longer. The amazing thing about a truth is that, despite size, it is incredibly light to bear. So the little girl pulled the truth out of her room, rolled it down the stairs, and managed to get it to the street. There she took a deep breath and yelled out with all her might, "What you have heard, what you have whispered of in the darkness, it is here; I have it!" As she was crying out, everyone started to gather round, including the emperor, who was visiting that day. The emperor grew afraid that the people would rebel with such a truth being exposed, and was about to have the little girl silenced and the truth squelched. Suddenly, the emperor's son, being wise beyond his few years, ran and pulled on his father's coat. He told his father of a dream he had had a few days ago. He was walking in a desolate land with no beauty or hope. Then he saw a sight that left him breathless. He saw a light that was growing and growing until it burst and the land suddenly changed into the most beautiful place he had ever seen. As he told the emperor, his father's eyes misted over and he could bear it no longer. He cried out. "I believe! I believe!" At that moment, the truth glowed so brightly and grew so rapidly until it abruptly exploded into a million pieces, going everywhere and sticking to everything. Each person was touched by it and their eyes were opened to a world unknown to them. As for the little girl, she realized that the truth was an amazing thing, and while it might seem dangerous, the truth will set you free.

My article on Getting Out has been published over at The Curator. Check it out!