12 Allegories - The Camel's Conclusion

“Stories tell us of what we already knew and forgot, and remind us of what we haven’t yet imagined.”

—Anne L. Watson

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The Camel's Conclusion

_____A camel set forth on his journey across a vast and arid desert. He knew of the value of water, the most precious commodity in this unrelenting climate. He had always been able to appreciate the sparkling refreshment that came from drinking the water, but he feared not the prospects of going without it for days, for he knew that his ability to transform it in his humps meant that he could always enjoy its rewards.
_____Before making his journey he drank a great quantity, knowing that it could be a dry trip for days on end. Setting out, he happened upon an oasis very early in his journey and enjoyed a quick drink, for his humps were still full. On the next day, he encountered another watering hole, again briefly stopping to wet his lips. As the journey continued he was amazed at the initial frequency of the pools he discovered. Measuring their frequency carefully, he concluded that he would see at least three per week. "This," he thought, "will be an easy journey, for my beloved water will be there to carry me along."
_____The pattern continued for over a month, and by now he saw no need to stop at each pool, for time was precious also and he felt a need to move on. He remembered the nourishment of past fulfillment and carried this memory in his humps, knowing this alone could sustain him. Enamored with the incredible time he was making, he pressed onward, never looking back. Three watering holes went by without so much as a sip, for he felt he could make his journey in record time. As his mind became overwhelmed with the road before him, he lost all recognition of where he'd been, and his humps grew more and more dry. Just as his body called to him loud and clear, telling him he was almost doomed, an oasis appeared on the horizon. Struggling to make his way to the water, his senses came back to him and he realized the error he had made. Traveling for three hundred miles on water barely sufficient for seventy-five had taken its toll. But he had survived.
_____Filling his humps once more with water, he thanked them for his deliverance, and promised not to take them for granted ever again. It was at this moment he felt the deepest love for the gift nature had given him, for without it where would he be?
Refreshed, he set forth to complete his journey, not knowing what lay deep within or before him. His humps had been mortally damaged by the prolonged drought, and the next oasis lay nine hundred miles ahead.