The Place of the rising Sun

Its early dawn in the morning—the sun is rising ushering what looks like a promising morning.  I took to the shore of the lake near my previous college for my daily meditation. I was the first to arrive before anybody else could get there that morning. I put my mat down and started to meditate. It’s still quiet morning. Only birds could be heard singing beautifully. Then, came four men of the west spewing vile of hate against me, they were talking so loud for they were in their own territory. I overheard them chatting about how they were disgusted with me meditating every day at the lake. It goes, last night, I saw him shamelessly meditating here on this same beach. He looked shivering like a monkey rained on said one man .They called themselves human beings said another man. Pathetic, said another man.

Oh no, said one man. What going on—asked the other man? They realized I was listening to their conversation.  So, I raised my head high and said, good morning gentlemen. Good morning, they responded in shame. It is a good morning. Isn’t it? I added. Yea, they responded. How early do you come here asked one man? I come here when I could to meditate. Do you live here, they asked. I responded, yes. I went to college here. It has been almost eight years since I moved down here. It is a small town. I know, but, I am familiar with the area. I have heard everything you have said about me. For your information, it is not new to me. It doesn’t bother me anymore.  Sorry, I don’t understand your accent. What did you say asked one man? The other man jumped in to clarify. He said he heard everything we said.

I could see hatred directly steaming out from their eyes. Their eyes and skins turned red. Their secret is out. They were furious. They immediately charge toward me to silent me.  But, I was aware. I chose to retreat. I dropped the mat and ran because I was out numbered.  They followed me as I run into the bush.  But, they whole escaping plan almost backfired. I came to find out that I ventured into their stronghold. But, I couldn’t give up. So I run all day long through this vast land of the west with them following me.

 I ran passed every house helplessly. No one dare to come to my aid. But, that was not new to me.  I was hopeful knowing the sun is rising on the east. So I consciously marched on knowing their sun is setting despite their attempt to slow me down.  But, I admitted, the run took toll on me. I was tired and humanly drained. So I got tempted. I told myself. I couldn’t continue passing every house. I am sure there is one house that would come to my aid.

 So as the sun sets on the west, I finally reached the last house dividing the west and the east. I chose to run into this house. I was almost out of breath. I yelled. Help! Help! There are four men running behind me wanting to kill me. It was an old man house. He pulled out his rifle and cocked it and yelled to four men, back off my house or I will shoot you. They men paused for a moment. They looked astonished and couldn’t completely understand what is happening.  Their house is divided. One—half against me and the other one—half is standing shoulder—to –shoulder with me. At least, that’s how it seems for that moment. That moment, I confirmed that human fate is intricately bound although by a slim margin.

But I was not out of the wood yet. The owner of the house wanted me to leave his place that night. But before he asked me to leave, he told the men to venture into the bush on their own—otherwise, he was going to force them do so. I could see an agony on the old man’s face. He was torn apart. Part of him tells him to hand me back to the men. The other part tells him to hold on to the rope of humanity. He chose neither. Instead, he chose neutral path. He told me to leave his property through the back door.

So I came out of his house and walked back into the front of his house. I looked left and right, front and behind. I still couldn’t believe what was about to happen to me. But, I know my fate was in God’s hand. I walked 12 steps toward the east and look behind to see if the men are coming after me. I was right. I saw them coming after me again. Only this time, their number has increased. I could see eight men fiercely determined to hunt me down before I could cross into the place of the rising sun.

That moment, I realized I am running out of luck and options. I just reached the shore of the ocean. There was no boat to take me to the place of the rising sun. Only few miles left before I could completely reach the ocean. I could sense their excitement knowing that it is only few miles before they could put their hands on me.

As they approached, I looked eastward and saw a spark of light coming down. It was growing in size as it was about to land between me and the men. As it touches the ground separating us, it caught fire and formed an evenly horizontal line. I could hear a voice coming out of the flames warning the men not to cross the landing flames.  But, the initial flame was thin and had no temperature reading attached to it. So they crossed it easily. But the second layer has already formed with a temperature reading of 120 degrees and a bit wider. Because they harbored an immense hatred, they braved the second layer of the flame. They managed to cross it with ease.

Then, I heard another voice coming from the flames warning them the third time. Stop, you cannot make it through this flame. It temperature is 100 times the last flames. I could still see anger and hate swelling in their faces through the fire flames—only that they are shut off by consuming flames that separated them away from where I stood.

I realized the higher power came to my aid. Still, I was not sure how long it would take before the flames die off. I told myself, what next? As I finished that thought, I felt a powerful lift that I couldn’t explain. For a moment, I thought something exploded only when I look down, I realized I was in a spacecraft majestically flying so high toward the direction of the rising sun. I looked down from the spacecraft. I saw all eight men pointing fingers at me as I vanished into the place of the rising sun.

Then, I heard a voice again only this time lecturing about humanity:

 It says, you are one person, don’t be consumed by talk of geography. I will never permit you to displace one another from the face of the Earth. Don’t waste your time on talk of religion. I never intended religion to be used as a tool to kill, but as a mean for your salvation. Don’t waste your time on talk of race. No color is more glorious than the other. No single race is designated to inherit the planet Earth. But, I have power to empower those who are persecuted by those who harbored hatred of their fellow human beings. Don’t waste your time pursuing him no more. I have heard his cry and decided to shift the tide of power in his favor.  I am changing the direction of the sun. Now, your sun is setting and his is rising.  Accept that as a millennial reality. I have given you ample times to undo injustices among yourselves, but, you doubled down injustices against him.

Then, the voice turned to me and said, listen to these words:

 Raise your head up high and look to the east, the sun is rising on you.  It will dry off your tears and all forms of anguish you have suffered in his hand. I have commissioned it to guide you into the next century. A century that will bring the west, east, north and south together—a century that will bring all colors together—a  century that will bring all religions together, and above all, a century that will bear one common identity, the Human Identity. This is a century that I put you in charge. The sun will keep rising on you as long as you obey me—and as long as you Do No Harm, and Do Right to Humanity!

About the author: Phillip Manyok is a former Lost Boy of Sudan and a SPLA veteran.  He holds PhD in Metaphysical Science, Master of Art International Relations and Conflict Resolution, Bachelor and Master of Metaphysical Science, Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Associate of Arts, and  a PhD candidate studying conflict Analysis at Nova Southeastern University.