Once upon a time there lived a little flock of sheep on the side of a green mountain. The sheep did well in life on the mountain – moving towards green pasture, following their shepherd, through dangers, toils, and snares. One strange thing about these particular sheep is that they were blind – they were all blinded by a great and cosmic event some years ago (but that is quite another story to tell). This flock’s shepherd loved them deeply and told them to the truth about all things pertaining to living as sheep in sheepdom. The Shepherd would speak to the sheep and they, knowing his voice, would follow him to the lush grass on the mountains, and the hungry sheep, knowing grass when they smelled it, gradually made their way to dine on the feast. However, after some time, wolves crept in to hide among the sheep and they also began to speak to the sheep. “Your shepherd cannot talk” one wolf said “He has no voice” said another, and “You are imagining things when you say you hear him speak”. “You say you hear, but you cannot see what is across from this mountain – so how do you know these “shepherd words” will lead you to a good and safe place – you better listen to us, for we truly can see.” Over many days the sheep began to doubt that their shepherd could speak, and the true treasure of the shepherds voice faded from their ears…They began to listen to the voices of the wolves and the wolves lead them Round and Round in circles of uncertainty and endless conversation and the sheep began to be confused. Finally, when they were weary of the incessant voices of the wolves, they weakened and began to leave one another alone–the flock was spread thin and one by one the sheep were led to the edge of a cliff where they were pushed off to a waiting pack of hungry predators below … Yet the shepherd’s voice yet called out a name with a thundering whisper “Mary” he said…and the sheep heard the voice of her shepherd and began to plod back up the mountain to the Good Shepherd…and not a few other sheep heard his voice and as many who did, followed.

-- Reid Monaghan - July 2005

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