Battle Training

"Whenever you sit to meditate, first take a comfortable position, one that wouldn't wear you out easily. Then if your convinced that you're okay!, close your eyes. At this point, empty your mind, begin to listen to the breath under your nose, Fe.....el your heartbeat, listen to the pounding one after another. Shut your mind's eye, don't let any imagination go through your mind now, block all those thoughts....."

Lisa explained as she walked round Bruce sitting in the middle of a lawn. This lawn was found in a park of the colony, one of the most silent places to be in the evenings. To Lisa, this spot was the best for meditation because of its solemnity and calmness.

Although there was the presence of tranquility, Bruce found it difficult to concentrate, it wasn't because he couldn't focus, but too many thoughts were flowing through his head, so even if he passed the first stage of clearing his mind he fell into another stage of refilling it.

After wasting a whole day trying to pass the first stage of meditation, Bruce returned home without any progress. Inside his heart, he felt broken but he wasn't willing to give up, after all, this was his first try. The thought of success the next day filled his heart giving him another fire of anticipation.

Lisa wasn't slightly bothered about this issue, she knew she was pushing to hard, at least she was convinced about his adaptation speed, he was definitely going to pass this stage, all he needed was a little time.

Bobby arrived home quite earlier than usual, Bruce greeted him the usual way by hugging him, they exchanged pleasantries and then sat to talk.

"Dad! am undergoing battle training!!" Bruce said abruptly. Bobby was stunned, "you have really been hiding alot, so tell me about it!". Bruce continued, "there is a sister I met, she has been teaching me everything i know, under her tutelage I have been able to acquire all this knowledge and she is also responsible for that", Bruce pointed to the stack of books by the corner.

"This...." Bobby was at a loss for words, he didn't know what to say, his son had kept this a secret for almost 2 years now. He had turned 9 years getting close to unlocking his spirit soul and he had hid this all along. Bobby hugged his son, "I believe you did this for the best". Bruce smiled under his breath. Wait!!! there was something about this feeling, he had experienced it before, still this breath of old age. Dad truly wasn't getting any younger. From this point he even developed more motivation to become great.

He then lay on he mat, closed his eyes and began pondering over the meditation skills he needed to acquire, time was running out so he needed to do something fast. Lisa had already explained the essence of meditation to him, she had already told him what he needed to know, now all he had to do was focus his attention on successfully passing the first stage.

It was night, everything was quiet, the only obvious sounds he could hear was the chirping of crickets. Suddenly, another idea struck his head, he decided to focus his mind on the sound coming from nature, after all Lisa never told him he must sit to meditate. He lay peacefully without making a sound. He began to fill the cold wind of nature, he was hearing his heart beat like the melody between the blacksmith's hammer and the lump of metal, he heard the blood in his veins rush like a waterfall, then at some point it became calm like the flow of a stream. This feeling was beauty itself, it was nourishing to the soul. it was a feeling that made one feel he was one with nature, was this truly what it meant to meditate, he wasn't willing to let this feeling go. He could as well stay forever if he could.

/.........................../

When he woke up, he felt different, he felt stronger, he felt as if he had drank the water of life, if at all there was something like that. He wanted to taste this feeling again, infact, he wanted to taste this feeling always. Meditation was a practise that helped one calm his mind, decisions became a piece of cake to someone who was a meditator, one would even remain calm in the face of danger, therefore giving one the upper hand against his foe in a battle.

Bobby hadn't bothered to wake his son for normal morning workout because he knew his son was getting something better, although he didn't know where, it was obvious that since nature had abandoned him it had chosen to take his son as a disciple. Bruce was happy but not entirely, he could not let anything happen to his son, at least so far his effort had been to the best and his wife would be happy to see such progress. However, he dropped a note for Bruce, stating his reason for not waking him for workouts and also dropped two currency notes as usual.

Bruce dressed up as usual and headed straight for the firm.

After a series of serious enlightenment on the effects of meditation and it's needfulness in battles, Bruce had already grasped a general understanding of how it worked and he was already prepared to advance to the next level. Just as Lisa had predicted he was already up and doing.

Bruce was a type of student any teacher would wish for. He was a student that understood quickly, he could discern and he was modest. Such kids were rear in this generation of spirit souls. Kids these days would always challenge adults and go unscathed after all it mattered on how strong one was.

This time around, he arrived home feeling more satisfied than ever, he felt his life was taking a different turn, he was now stronger, faster and exceedingly nimble. If he was going to become a farmer, he needed to be strong, not just strong, he needed to be extraordinary.

He was ready to go through much even if it would be for his father only, he needed to take all the risk and improve himself.

Bruce was already 9yrs plus, he couldn't wait to become something. To break the bounds his parents couldn't reach. "wait for it", Bruce whispered to nature who then smiled back with the sun waking him up on his tenth birthday.