Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time in a land call "Freedola" there lived a people called "Freedolians." Freedolians came in all sizes, shapes, and colors. They walked and talked differently; they even had different customs. There was no one way a Freedolian looked, but they all shared the same vision and dream of freedom. They understood what freedom was, and they worked together in unity to build and maintain the great freedom of Freedola.

The Freedolians were a hard working, happy lot. They considered work a blessing, and to build dreams and a community of free and happy people consumed their time and energy. They built homes, schools, churches, and a host of healthy and positive institutions to maintain and propagate their way of life. They had a government that was Freedolian in nature. Their laws encouraged freedom and respect for all Freedolians.

But other people started to come into Freedola. The "WeAreTheOnlyOneianS" (WATOOS) came to live in Freedola along with the "GiveAllToMeianS" (GATMS). The WATOOS and the GATMS did not appreciate Freedola, nor did they desire to perpetuate the goodness and joy of Freedola. The WATOOS wanted to change Freedola into a land of coerced conformity, and GATMS did not care as long as they had their desires and demands met. The Freedolians wanted to trust all people; they wanted to let all enjoy their freedoms and their happy land. But they forgot that only those who understood and supported the freedom of Freedola could perpetuate the joys and delights of their happy way of life. Only Freedolians could nourish Freedola.

Slowly but assuredly the Freedolians were outnumbered by the WATOOS and the GATMS. The government was eventually changed from the idyllic Freedolian vision. Soon freedoms eroded and anti-happy laws were passed. The important beliefs and laws that caused Freedola to live were thrown away and forgotten, replaced by restrictive laws and customs. Slowly the Freedolian way of life was lost. The sun now never shines in the land of Freedolia, and the colors of the flowers seemed to fade into indiscriminate gray. The smiles of the people were changed to looks of suspicion and doubt. And one day, before anyone knew it, Freedolia was gone never to return again.