“I think I see him!” Lionel exclaimed, pointing excitedly toward the stage just 50 yards away. The stage was a simple, open-air wooden platform set in a vast field, the main focus of the event.
Behind it, the classic English countryside spread out: rolling hills, farmland, and meadows stretching to the horizon. Lionel, momentarily awed by the scenery, realized he was sitting on a stone wall.
“Where are we, Marty?” he asked, nudging his friend, who was lost in thought. Martin, still reading the program for the third time, barely glanced up.
Lionel had insisted they come early to snag good seats. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Sam the Elf in person!” he had said.
“He’s like a rock star of historic proportions, an Elfin legend,” Martin shouted over the noise of the crowd.
Lionel said, “His deep understanding of human behavior and daring acts on humanity’s behalf are all over Elfin American History textbooks.”
“No student of American Angelic Studies doesn’t know Sam, the Elf,” Martin agreed.
Suddenly, a large projection screen lit up with a vibrant sunset scene, and the excited chatter of 10,000 elves grew into a buzz as everyone took their seats.
The atmosphere was electric with anticipation. Cheers erupted as I stepped onstage, moving toward a tall stool beside a table with a glass of water. I noticed a Lavaliere microphone draped on the table’s edge and picked it up.
Speakers and screens were placed along a quarter-mile stretch of Hadrian’s Wall. As I struggled to pin the microphone to my shirt, the rustling of satin fabric hushed the audience in eager silence.
“I can’t believe Sam’s here,” Martin said.
“Yeah, right in front of us,” Lionel giggled, elbowing his SoulSib.
According to Elfin Etiquette, all Protective Corps Ministers must be addressed by their titles. I found this tradition overly formal. “Just call me Sam,” I would insist. “I am just like any other elf.” Still, they insisted on using a title.
We eventually compromised: “You can call me Sam, the Elf,” I suggested, but it didn’t help. While ‘Sam’ signified my role as the Senior Angelic Minister for Spiritual America, ‘Elf’ reflected my pride in being part of the Elf Corps.
A hush fell over the crowd, all eyes and ears focused on me, capturing every detail. As I settled onto the tall stool, the cushion felt comfortable, and a calm smile spread across my face. Those large screens amplified my grin, prompting another cheer from the audience. I raised my hand to signal for silence.
“Hello, everyone!” I said, and instantly all 10,000 elves jumped to their feet. Applause and cheers filled the air, pulsing for a minute or so before they finally sat back down, ready to listen.
“And a special greeting to Cassandra, who is auditing this lecture as the guest of our dear friend, Vimh, who hails from Soul Cluster 715.”
Years of public speaking had honed my style into a blend of calm and reassurance. Lionel, sitting nearby, found it welcoming and soothing.
Martin, next to Lionel, struggled to take notes amid the crowd’s excitement. At some point he stopped, reminding himself that the entire program would be recorded for later viewing.
As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the field behind me, I looked out at the group gathered along the ancient stone wall. Their faces showed a mix of curiosity, determination, and a touch of apprehension, with anticipation hanging in the air.
“Why are we here?” a voice called out from the crowd, directly stating the question on everyone’s mind. Why Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England for this important speech?
I stepped forward, and my image grew larger on the screens, drawing their full attention. “We are here because Humanity needs us,” I announced, my voice echoing across the field. “All over TempTerra, millions of humans have called for ALL’s Love. We are here to bring it.”
I scanned the crowd and saw only rapt faces. “Humanity is on fire. We are here to help them extinguish the flames of divisiveness and distrust, and replace them with a renewal of Agape Love.” Then, I added, “We are here because they prayed to God for help!”
My words struck a chord. “Humans often ask, ‘Why am I here?’ While this question is personal, it’s also relevant to you, dear Elfs.”
With a thoughtful look, I added, “Maybe a more pressing question is, ‘Why is Here … here?’ What is the purpose of TempTerra, where we Souls souljourn with such high aspirations?”
Looking over the crowd, I saw many entranced faces. After countless hours perfecting this speech, every word was carefully chosen.
“As all Elfs know,” I began, “the Game of Life is, at its core, just a game. The Ultimate Game, to be sure. But still a game!” I surveyed the crowd.
“But like every game, whether in Everly or TempTerra, it has the same Ten Essential Elements.” I noticed many nodding in agreement. “With your permission, let’s go through these Ten Elements.”
The audience began to clap, forcing my voice louder. “Together, we can remind ourselves what our mortal counterparts have forgotten.”
Then I heard what I had hoped for. “Life isn’t to be taken too seriously!” shouted a voice from my left. “And nothing in TempTerra has real lasting value!” came a stronger voice from my right.
“So, what are these Ten Elements of any game, and how do they fit into ALL’s solution to Its Love Dilemma?” I asked, taking a quick sip of water. I stepped down from the stool and walked to the edge of the stage, ready to dive into my soliloquy.
“Every Game has a Story – an underlying narrative or central concept of a game. A game’s Story sets the stage for the entire experience, providing context, motivation, and emotional depth. This then, my friends, is the Story that underpins the Game of Life!” Cheering erupted yet again. As the volume settled, I resumed.
“Before Time and Space existed, there was ALL. Everything in Vastitude—past, present, and future—starts and ends with ALL.
“Humans call ALL by many names: God, Allah, El, Deva, Great Spirit, and more. They describe God as All-Knowing, All-Encompassing, All-Powerful, All-Loving, All-Wise, All-Merciful, All-Creative, All-Present, All-Just, and All-Eternal.”
I paused for effect, then added, “We Souls cut to the chase when we simply say, ‘ALL.’” A soft wave of laughter spread through the crowd.
“ALL is a Pure Energy that fills every corner of Vastitude. This Energy pulses endlessly and purposefully, from the most distant planet to the smallest atom in the tiniest hair on a flea’s leg. This Energy comes from ALL’s Infinite Mind, with Vastitude reflecting ALL’s every Creative Thought.
“ALL’s essence is Absolute Love, a level of sharing far beyond human imagination or replication. It is greater than even the highest form of mortal love, where Garbs act selflessly, prioritizing others above themselves—what humans call Agape Love.
“In a supreme demonstration of Love, ALL first created beings, so there might be entities to receive Its Love. Next, ALL posed challenges for these Souls, thus rendering them incomplete and imperfect. By doing so, ALL created artificial opportunities for Itself to express rejuvenating Love.
“ALL’s True Essence is creativity. Through this creativity, from Its Infinite Mind, ALL is always expanding. The expression we Elfs have for this phenomenon is … Blossoming Eternal. Like a flower that blooms and reaches upward, ALL’s Absolute Love continually grows.
“Absolute Love, being ALL’s true Essence, is a constant drive to share, release, create, and grow. As a result, Vastitude keeps expanding.”
As I spoke, thousands of captivated eyes watched, mesmerized. “Now, ALL faced a paradox – a dilemma that only ALL could solve. A Love Dilemma! For if ALL is everything everywhere, who could ALL give Love to? If everything is part of ALL, could there ever be a thing needing Love? A dilemma indeed!
“ALL solved this by creating what we Elfs call the Game of Life. In this game of all games, Players enter an imaginary world where the goal is to spread as much Love as possible while facing innumerable challenges and obstacles.
“So, this Game of Life gives a whole new meaning to the word, Life: Loving in a Fictitious Environment.”
“Every Game has Players – individuals or groups, who interact with each other. They are key to the experience, driving the game’s progression and outcome.
“The Game of Life is incredibly complex. Nothing is as simple as it seems, reflecting the boundless imagination of ALL, which surpasses human understanding.
“For instance, in the Game of Life, Causes and Effects create a feedback loop. Each Cause leads to an Effect, which then becomes a new Cause. In this Life of fractals, one Playing Piece’s Player is another Player’s Playing Piece. Let us identify them.
“Starting at the top, ALL created Souls as Its Playing Pieces. Souls are a paradox, being extensions of ALL while also lacking some aspects of ALL.
“As mentioned before, Souls are naturally imperfect by design. Consequently, every Soul has a deep desire for Perfection, constantly trying to make up for any missing parts of its true nature.
“For their part, Souls have their own Playing Pieces, Garbs. But unlike in human games, these Playing Pieces, Garbs, have independent minds and can think autonomously.
“The complexity of the Game of Life increases, however, because Souls must pursue their Perfection by indirectly influencing the actions of their Playing Pieces, Garbs.
“Garbs are the humans that Souls inhabit temporarily. The challenge for each Soul is to spread as much Love as possible … but from within an embodying Garb.
“In the Game of Life that overflows with imagination and passion … just who are the true Players? Is it only ALL controlling the Souls, like pieces on a game board? Or are the Souls the Game’s main Players, influencing Garbs through persuasion, conscience, and emotion?
“Maybe the ultimate Players are the Garbs themselves, who, due to the Game’s Rules, possess their own autonomy. They can choose to ignore soulful impulses and live material lives for material gains.
“And,” I add parenthetically, “far too many do.
“The Game of Life is deliciously rich with surprise, potential, intrigue, and complexity. But most of all, it is replete with Choice. And Choice, you will recall, is the very essence of why Souls souljourn to TempTerra. They come here, hoping to maximize opportunities for making choices that Spread Love.
