There are many times in our lives when we lose our way, become discouraged, or feel that obstacles cannot be overcome. We may try to forget our problems with work, or travel, or other diversions. But we cannot forget.

Is there a simple and direct way of being healed and returned to wholeness?

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There once was once a young musician, named Ivar, who journeyed from his family's farm in the Westfjords of Iceland to find fame and fortune at the Court of the Norwegian King. Because he was gifted, he became one of the King's musicians.

Soon his brother Thorfinn joined him, but became homesick and decided to return home to Iceland. Ivar asked him to carry a message to a young woman, Oddny Jonsdottir. Ivar asked her to wait for his return, and then they would be wed.

But Thorfinn asked Oddny to marry himself instead. And so it was. When Ivar heard the news of their marriage, all desire to play music left him.

That night, in the banquet hall, the King of Norway saw how dispirited Ivar was. He asked him to stay after the meal was done, and everyone else departed.

The King asked: "Ivar, do you feel that we do not pay you enough for your wonderful music?" Ivar sadly answered, "No my Lord. I am paid most generously."

"Well then," the King continued, "Do you feel like an outsider in my kingdom? If so, I will grant you a small farm, so that you feel feel you belong here?" Ivar sadly answered, "No, My Lord, I have no wish to own land here in Norway."

The King guessed again: "You are young, and you must be bored here. I'll have my treasurer give you some gold coins, so that you can travel the world. And when you are done with your wanderings, there will always be a place for you here as one of my court musicians." Ivar answered, "I have no wish to travel, My Lord." And he looked even sadder than before.

 

The King was puzzled, but then he saw a look in Ivar's sad eyes. Ah! Now he understood. He took one more guess: "I know, Ivar. You have a young woman you you love in Iceland. My guess is that her parents will not allow you two to wed..."

Ivar interrupted. "Oh, no my Lord. It's just that she is already wed... to my brother."

Now the King was sad, "Well, Ivar, there is nothing I can do about that. But I can still offer you that small farm. It is said that a person can forget their troubles by losing themselves in their work. If you work the land every day..."

Ivar shook his head, "No, My Lord, though I would till the soil from dawn to dusk, I would only have Oddny Jonsdottir on my mind."

"Well," replied the King, "then take the gold and travel all the world. For it is said that a person can leave their troubles behind."

Ivar sadly shook his head again, "No, My Lord, wherever I travel, I will bring my memories of Oddny with me."

The King of Norway made another offer, "Young man, come travel with me when I make my round of the cities and castles of Norway. You will meet many young woman, and perhaps..."

Ivar sighed and explained, "But, My Lord, whenever I see any young woman I am reminded of Oddny herself!"

The King had no more offers to make. He sat for the longest time, with Ivar silently sitting close by. And then the King spoke, "Ivar , there is one more thing I can offer, small as it seems. I can offer to listen to you tell me about your love for Oddny. Every evening, after the guests are gone, I will sit and listen to you. That is all I can offer."

And so it was for many weeks. Ivar remained in the house of his Lord. The King listened to Ivar every night. And as the months went by, Ivar played his music joyfully again. Before the year was out, he had no more need to tell his story to his King.

Time passed, and Ivar returened home to Iceland. There he found a young woman who he loved, and who loved him. They were wed. They had chiildren. And they had a long and happy life between them.

Sometimes we try to fix other people's problems with our solutions. He want to help them this way and that way. Perhaps we think that money will solve the problem, or our influence over others, or our knowledgeable advice.

 

But do we offer what is most precious? Our time. And do we offer it with grace -- listening with leisure, and accepting without judgement.

Iceland is off the beaten path, and the country around the Westfjords is far from the main city of Reykjavik. Here Ivar lived hundred of years ago, in the Middle Ages. His story is retold in one of the old Icelandic sagas called, "Ivar's Tale." He wrote poetry, as well as sang songs, and his poems are still recited in Iceland today.

(This short story is re-told in a longer 20-minute version, on audio tape by Robert Bela Wilhelm. Contact Storyfest for details.)

It seems that much of modern life involves acquiring possessions. We are awash in a sea of objects. And modern life also involves the gathering of power and influence, and security and comfort. And when we are quick to grab, we are slow to let go.

Yet, these very possessions sometimes "own" us, and excercise a tyranny over us. Deep down we desperately wish: If we could only let go!

When the Great Spirit made all things, the First People were given gifts in carved cedar boxes. The First People were the animal people who were here before us.


In one box there was water. And when that box was opened, all the water came out of the box and rose to the sky in the shape of clouds. It then fell from the sky as rain, and formed the streams and rivers that flowed out to the sea.


Another box contained all the mountains. They were taken out, and placed where they still stand to this day. Yet another box contained all the seeds of things that grow. And another box held the wind, which blew out, and blew the seeds to the four corners of the world.


Each of the First People opened their boxes, that is, all except Seagull. And in Seagull's box was all the light of the world. But Seagull clutched the box tightly. And so it was: In the beginning there was only darkness.


The animal people all asked Seagull to open the box. Seagull refused, squeezing the wooden box tightly under one of Seagull's wings. And so the First People asked Raven -- who was Seagull's cousin -- to try.


Raven tried everything: asking, begging, demanding, pleading, coaxing, flattering. But nothing worked, and Raven grew ever so angry at Seagull's refusal. Raven thought this thought:


"Seagull is making it hard for all The People. Seagull is causing so much trouble. It would serve Seagull right if Seagull had a thorn stuck in Seagull's foot."


And since whatever Raven thinks, happens, Seagull suddenly cried out with pain.


"My foot, my foot, something is stuck in my foot." And Raven offered to help, as if Raven didn't know what had happened.


But when Raven reached for Seagull's foot, and found the thorn there, Raven did not pull it out. Raven pushed it in.


"Oh, I am sorry, Seagull, but I can't see what I am doing. If I only had a little bit of light."


And so, Seagull lifted the lid of the box just a crack, to let out as little of the light as possible. And all the specks of light lifted into the heavens. And Raven was the first to see the Stars. And they were very beautiful.


Raven now reached for Seagull's foot again, and once again pushed the thorn deeper. Seagull cried out, flapping one wing but holding the box tightly with the other. Raven said, "I'm sorry, but there is not enough light. Open the box some more!"


And so Seagull lifted the lid a bit more, just enough to let out a round, pale light. It floated up to the sky. And Raven was the first to see the Moon. And it was very beautiful.


Raven reached down for Seagull's foot one more time, and pushed the thorn deep. Seagull cried out! Both wings went up, and Seagull dropped the box.


The lid flew off, and out shot a great ball of fire. It shot up, up. high into the sky, and even Raven could not look at that light so bright, that great light which is the Sun.


And so it was that the first day came. And in the beginning, There was indeed Light.

We sometimes clutch those things which give us the greatest pleasure. But our unwillingness to let go paradoxically leads to pain. Happiness leads to Grief. Desire leads to Dis-Ease. Yearning leads to Emptiness.

Only then are we finally willing to Let Go. And so our pain becomes the doorway to our freedom.

This story is common the the Native Peoples in the coastal areas of Oregon, Washington, Alaska and British Columbia. The particular version comes from the Nootka people on Vancouver Island.

An interesting epilogue to this story goes as follows: "If you visit the place where Seagull lives, and if you watch Seagull, you will see that sometimes Seagull lifts one foot and stands only on the other. That is because the thorn is still in Seafull's foot."

Other versions of the story suggest that Raven did pull the thorn out, but that Raven and Seagull have not spoken to each other since!