WHAT THE CAPTAIN MEANS
The storm came suddenly upon the boat loaded with sailors. In a matter of moments hulls were broken, decks were awash, and sailors were floundering. But as quickly came the storm, so came the captain, maneuvering his large vessel between the waves and rescuing one sailor after another. Before they knew it, they were deposited safely on an island, listening to the instructions of the captain who said, "There are still more at sea. You stay here until I return. Build a tall fire using the trees of the island to keep yourselves warm and to send a beacon for those who need safety."
Of course, the sailors were happy and quick to oblige, and they set about the task of building a large fire. Then they waited and they waited and they waited. The longer they waited the more their gratitude passed. And thankfulness to be there turned into restlessness to be there, and appreciation for the captain mutated into aggravation with each other.
No one could remember exactly when the argument started, but it had something to do with the captain's instructions. Did he say use trees only for the fire or trees mostly for the fire? As they began to discuss it, they couldn't agree. Some said, "Surely he meant trees only. He said build a fire made out of trees." Others said, "A little brush and some grass and leaves won't hurt. He'll understand that. Trees mostly won't hurt."
Conversation led to opinion; opinion led to discussion; discussion led to dispute; and dispute led to debate. Soon debate led to division, and there were two fires on the island. There was the trees-only fire and the trees-mostly fire.
Peace returned to the island for a short time, until dispute broke out in the trees only camp. One day in conversation someone said, "I'm sure he wants us to use cypress trees only on the fire, because, after all, he gestured to some cypress trees as he spoke." Another one said, "But he was standing closer to an elm tree." Still another said, "The predominant tree on the island is oak. Surely these are to be oak trees in our fire." Conversation led to opinion; opinion led to discussion; discussion led to dispute; and dispute led to division. Soon the trees-only camp splintered into
...