Upon first arriving on the road, a sign is clearly visible to you. It reads:
Good morning traveller, welcome! This is the road to your final living space. Whatever destination this path leads you to, is the destination you will be staying at for the rest of your life (possibly even for eternity). During your journey you will encounter many people. Do not hesitate to ask them for help, especially if they are drinking tea. Wise people drink tea, that’s a well-known fact!
Looking around, you see a bland looking gravel road leading towards a forest area. The bushes and trees on the side of the road are green, but not too bright. The whole scenery looks like a simple pathway, meant for travellers to simply pass through as they journey onwards. The few houses that are visible, seem to be small cottages filled with inhabitants satisfied with their simple lives. You start walking towards the split at the end of the road, relaxed and enjoying the weather with every step you take.
Arriving at the fork at the end of the road, you meet a gentle old man sitting nearby, calmly setting down a kettle over a crackling fire. “Come have a seat, life is not worth rushing at all. So come enjoy a nice cup of jasmine tea,” the man says as he gestures for you to sit down across from him. The man looks like he lives in this area. He has a gentle face with a grey beard and hair kept in a small ponytail. He sits with his legs crossed, as if he is firmly anchored in the moment and has just been meditating.
You ask the man for advice on which road to follow, the one to the left or the one to the right. After sipping his tea, the man answers vaguely: “Life is like a river, it cuts its own course wherever it runs. All you have to do is follow the river.” He spoke with a soft, calm voice. After listening carefully, you raise your cup so as to take a sip yourself, blocking the man from your sight. When you lower your cup, the man and his kettle are nowhere to be seen, as if they have vanished with the wind. You stand up and continue walking along the road again. At the split, you decide to follow:
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