Boho’S Quest for God: An Adult Fairy-Tale

By Frederick A. Patchen

This adult fairy-tale is a metaphysical fantasy attempting to raise questions for the spiritual child in each of us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469156750

Frederick A. Patchen

Frederick A. Patchen Frederick Arthur Patchen was born in Pennsylvania on December 5, 1941. By the time he graduated from the 12th grade he had attended 13 different schools across the United States. He graduated high school and one college in Sacramento California. His continuing education saw him attending four more colleges and ministerial school in California. Frederick was a Division Manager for Sears when he was 24, opened his own business when he was 30, and became a minister of his first pulpit when he was 38. After nine years and serving in four pulpits Frederick left organized religion on a personal quest for a deeper understanding of how life expresses itself through us. Now with over 30 years experience in working with people Frederick has successfully lived for more than the past 20 years with no outside income other than the love offerings he receives from this work. He is an advocate of individuality and the individual’s personal relationship with the Universal Mind of God. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments at any time. [e-mail]

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Chapter 1

Spirit Guides

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Boho

Flit is seated on a stump of an old tree as she watches Boho interact with two other male gnomes. He is obviously getting upset as he declares, You think I care anything about what you think of me?

Flit thinks to herself, He is never going to learn. In reality it just makes it more clear how much he really does care when he makes such a statement.

Boho kicks the dirt on the ground as he walks away from the other two gnomes. Boho has always had the ability to look like a very attractive and charming young male gnome when he wanted to but he rarely wanted to look attractive. It was as if he felt others would expect more of him and he could relax and not feel obligated if he came across as disheveled and unkempt.

Now Flit is not just another fairy. She has been through the chrysalis. She had been reborn. Fairies do not die as a human does but they go though a kind of change more like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. When she comes out of the chrysalis other fairies or gnomes can no longer see her. She potentially becomes as a spiritual guide who is supposed to learn not to infringe as she guides her main change along their path in life. Now we need to understand here the last personality to whom Flit would want to be a guide is Boho. She sees him as so crude and she wants to believe that she is refined and sophisticated.

Flit is still learning how to be noticed when she feels the need, usually by managing to land an acorn on the head of Boho. She can make herself seen but it was not good manors for guides to pull attention to themselves. The challenge is Flit always did want to be the center of attention. That was until she actually gets it. It is so much easier to focus upon the weaknesses of Boho than to look at her own need to grow in her personal harmony and balance.

Flit makes herself as small as she can so that she can sit on Boho’s shoulder as he walked around kicking dirt. She closes her eyes and just tries to see him relaxed and letting go of his reaction. Remember your intention. She tries to project into his mind. You had a positive purpose in talking to them.

Boho thinks to himself, The dumb ass! I just wanted to invite them to my father’s birthday party tomorrow. Just because I stuck cactus under his pillow he will not have anything to do with me. It was several months ago. Why can’t he just get over it.

Flit stand up on his shoulder, cupping her hands in front of her mouth she leans into his ear as if he could actually hear what she is going to say, the fact that you giggled today when you saw the marks that cactus left in his ear had nothing to do with it did it?

Flit sits down on his shoulder again, shaking her head she declares in frustration, What am I doing here!

The next day Boho’s father is turning 150 and this is a big deal for a gnome. You see gnomes live to be some 4 to 5oo years. When they turn 150 it means they are now recognized as being fully accepted as reliable in their society. You are looked upon as being very mature if you start a family when you are still in your 30’s but you are still seen as not ready to be taken seriously. That will take at least another hundred years.

This is a big party and everyone in the village is invited and even some from neighboring villages. Where other parties in the village may become rumpus and out of control with drink and dance this one will be very dignified. This party is a symbol of maturity. There will be many gifts and each will convey an image of the positive future this occasion points toward.

Boho is dressed in his best with all of his highest manors on display in honor of his father this day. As the part begins he hardly even glances as the two friends from the day before enter through their door. He turns away as if to not notice them. He does not even see the present they placed upon the gift table. He has no clue what it looks like let alone that the tag on it declares, from you loving son, Boho.

It is not until he hears his mother cry out in a refrained voice trying not to pull attention, Ouch! that he looks at the package she has in her hand.

Be careful of this ribbon hon. It has some kind of stickers in it, she states as she hands the package to her husband of almost 40 years.

Boho’s father carefully takes the gift and begins to open it. Flit who has felt it will be an easy night and is just relaxing by the fire flies across the room, takes one look at the package and flies straight to Boho’s shoulder with an exclamation as she lands, Oh shit! This is going to be bad!

Boho and Flit both look across the room to his two old friends who are already snickering in the corner. Boho does not know which to feel first, fear of his father’s reaction or anger at his friends. But there is not time to even come close to figuring it out.

Boho! Leave this room and do not come back. You will be dealt with tomorrow. He continues to his guests, I am sorry for my son my friends. He felt it would be a good time to play a trick on me with the gift of cactus thorns. Please pay him no mind he has no sense of dignity in him. I will deal with him tomorrow. We will go on with the opening of the great gifts those of you in great dignity have brought me.

There was only one ray of hope as Boho left the room with his head hanging so low it looks as if it might fall off. There is a young lady across the room that Boho kind of likes and is too shy to talk to because after all he likes her and how do you talk to someone you really like? She is looking straight at Boho and she is smiling. What does that mean? Does she admire the prank? This only adds confusion to the state Boho is already in.

The last thing Boho sees as he leaves the room is this young lady walking up to his mother, and she whispers something into her ear . . .

Her name is Muffin. She already knows the time will come when she and Boho will mate. He of course, does not have a clue. The female always seams to know these things. She will see to it that when the time comes it will happen. But Boho needs to journey first and his time is coming quickly. This he does know. Every young gnome must go on a two-year journey alone with no more than two friends in order to learn the ways of nature. His time to journey is at the end of this year.

Muffin knows Ting and Lego well. They are the two boys who brought the gift into the room. She did not see them place it on the table but she knows the gift from Boho was a new pipe. She had been seeing him work on carving it for the past month. She wrapped the gift for him. She knows that box was not from Boho. She saw the two boys snickering in the corner. Muffin also has a guide with her at all times. His name is Brook. He was tugging on her ear as Boho’s father was opening the gift.

She goes to Singing Water and whispered into her ear, that was not from Boho.

At hearing these words Boho’s mother both relaxes and at the same time wants to cry. She could not believe that her son would do such a thing to his father. They were at odds much of the time now as Boho is seeking his own way but to disrespect him in front of the village elders is way too far for even Boho to go. She believes at once what she is hearing is true.

Muffin points to a gift still on the table and states, that is the gift from Boho. I wrapped it for him this morning. She points to the two young men still snickering in the corner and simply says, Look . . .

Singing Water now fighting back tears declares, This is really bad. What has been said here in the presents of the elders cannot be taken back. Boho must be publicly punished for something he did not do.

Muffin bows her head nodding in agreement. She knows the ways of her people. One’s word is bond. In gnome culture if one aligns with an error or mistake you are expected to claim it as yours if it happens and you did not find a way to prevent it. It is believed to be better to punish the innocent than that any person of guilt should ever get away with what they have done.

As Flit is flying across the room to the mantle over the fireplace she sees the energy of the room shifting. It is as if a gentle pink cloud is filling the room with tinny bits of spackling lights within the fog. It is quite beautiful and under any other conditions Flit would have taken the time to enjoy the beauty of something she had never seen before.

She sees a small group of guides gathering on the mantle. She knows that the pink cloud has something to do with the gathering of guides but this is not the time to learn of a guide’s power and practices. She has only met two of these guides before and she was not impressed with them. Yet, she needs help. This is going to be bad. Boho will not take this well. This is going to escalate. It may destroy the relationship between Boho and his father. He will most surely be seen in the eyes of the elders as unworthy of a place of acceptance with them. Boho is rebellious enough. This is bad if it pushes him even deeper into rebellion.

As she lands on the mantle it is Helen who steps forward and addresses Flit. You aught to be ashamed of yourself young lady. I heard you half way across the room with your sh . . . i . . . ting . . . You ought to know that guides do not use that kind of language.

I knew I did not like her . . . Flit says deeply under her breath. And then openly she states, That was the one word my mother declared was acceptable if a person really, really needed to cuss. I would much rather honor the memory of my mother than listen to you Helen.

You need to have your mouth washed out with soap young lady, Helen declares. We need to set a standard for those whom we serve, not join them in their own weaknesses.

Suddenly as if a light begins to fill the circle of guides they fell silent as one elder guide steps forward. His presence reradiated a light and warmth that can be felt by anyone who is in front of him. His name is Joshua. In a gentle but clear voice he declares, That will do Helen. We are here to work with the imbalance in this room

It is nice to meet you Flit. I have been waiting for you to ask for help. The first example we must learn and set for others is to not infringe. Is that not correct Helen?

Helen has her mouth open as if unable to close it. It was as if she was attempting to spit something out and could not. After several attempt she finally states, It is as if I have soap in my mouth and I cannot seam to get rid of it.

Flit really has to fight not to laugh as she looks at Joshua with a questioning eye. She really wants to ask if he had done that but she thinks better of it and lets it go. Who are you? she asks instead.

I am Joshua. I am your teacher when you are ready. I am your connection to the council of guides. All you need do is ask.

If the truth cannot be revealed right here in this room now Boho will be dishonored for all of his life. He is rebellious but he has a good heart. And if you have heard anything about me you must know that I do not say that easily. He drives me crazy and I feel I am being forced to be of service to him until I can learn how to accept him without any reactions in my head or my heart. O.K. I know why I am doing this. I will do what is ask of me but please help me restore some kind of balance, Flit pleads.

Brook, you are with Muffin, does she hear you well? Joshua asks.

Yes she often does.

Ting’s father is in the room. See if you can get her to take Boho’s real gift To Ting’s father.

No declares Helen! You cannot do that. It took me months to get Ting over his weakness of not acting on or following through with his own ideas. I encouraged him to do this. He needs to stand up for himself. Even though he is a year older than Boho he has bullied him for years. I cannot help what price Boho pays.

Joshua raises his hand and she stops talking. Helen you have been a guide for a long time now. It looks as if it is time for you to reincarnate, maybe this time as a gnome instead of a fairy. I fear you have forgotten what it is like to have someone infringe upon your life.

Without another word Brook flies to Muffins’ shoulder and tugs on her ear.

Without any hesitation Muffin walks over to the table picks up the gift and takes it to the father of Ting. While he is the village chief elder she knows Ting’s father to be a gentle and wise gnome. He has only to see the gift and hear Muffin say this was the one and only true gift from Boho to his father and the rest was done with one look. Ting’s father looks across the room at his son and the reaction in the eyes of his son tells him the truth.

Ting pushes against the shoulder of Lego his friend and they bolt for the door. His father shakes his head as he looks down at the floor. I will talk to Running Bear. Boho’s father will at least know the truth. I cannot stop what is to come but I may be able to get it modified.

Flit is still standing on the mantle with Joshua as they watch the business of the room in front of them. Guides are flying everywhere. Helen has left the room to go after Ting. The room is still filled with a pink haze of dancing lights. Fairy guides are pulling on ears and whispering into ears in every corner of the room. Eyes are darting around the room all the while Boho’s father is holding his strength. It is as if nothing is happening any more important than the opening his next gifts. Singing Water stands close beside her husband now. She does all she can to give him looks of love and reassurance. Discipline is the consistent practice of priorities. All gnome culture is bases upon this practice of priorities in life.

You need to come with me, Joshua declares to Flit. You have asked for my help. We have until morning in order to give you a little training.

Flit does not hesitate to follow. She knows she wants help. She knows something is happening that she does not understand. She is so filled with a feeling of this being so unfair to Boho. Why is he to be punished? He did not do this thing of great dishonor within the gnome community. There is no way to prove Ting had in reality brought that gift. There is not real evidence. It is just logical and must be true, but it could not be proven and even if it could gnome law would not allow any change to what has been declared in public. Boho must be punished.

It is as if a door had opened into another part of nature. It is not dark here nor is it light. It is green beyond anything Flit has ever seen. She is still new to this experience of being a guide and she does not even understand how or why it happened. She is in some way tied to Boho. She finds herself caring for his well being and she has never even liked him. She is confused about many things . . . many things.

They land in a clearing in front of a circle of trees. Joshua walks straight into the middle of the trees. As Flit follows she sees that the inside of the circle form a kind of room. There is a circle of guides gathered in this inner room. They turn and bow toward Joshua as if he is of great importance to them. Please hold energy for me. Joshua states as he enters the middle of the circle, points to the ground as he looks back toward Flit, and then sits himself on the ground in the middle of the circle of guides. As Flit sits on the ground so does the entire group reforming a circle around them.

Now young lady you must first come to terms with something you have done. You went to the cocoon by choice. You know that cocooning is what a fairy does at the end of their life not something to be done out of spite as you did.

But Joshua, You don’t understand.

"I understand just fine. You were jealous of Boho and that he is taking up the time of your human friend John. You could not honor his curiosity or his desire to understand why you spent time with John. You cocooned yourself as if somehow you where going to teach others some great lesson. It is you who must now learn. Those who cocoon while they are young become guides to those they intended to teach by the act of cocooning. You spun your cocoon with the intent on making a great change and now you have it. When you come out of the cocoon you are between two dimensions. As you are still relating to the one from which you came you are not ready to enter this one, the next one. You will be a guide to Boho in order that you learn about yourself.

You will have assistance to the degree you are ready to ask for it. This group of experienced guides who have walked where you are now walking will be close around you even though you will not see them. They will be a guide to you are you are guide to Boho. I suggest that you be open to listen. What you and Boho have in common is that you tend to rebel in reacting to your surroundings. Rebellion increases the bond to the thing to which you rebel. You have much work to do.

The next day Flit still does not know what she is feeling. She is angry, depressed, frustrated, and overwhelmed all at the same time. She has just come from her first meeting with the council of guides who she is told she will have to answer to in her new work with Boho. She did not ask for this and she is in no way interested in being responsible for the well being of Boho or anyone else for that matter. She cannot get her little mind to work. All she can experience is a feeling of inner void. She just wants to go to bed and never get up again. Maybe she can just get this to all go away.

Joshua is suddenly by her side. You cannot just bow out of life, you know. It does not work that way.

Oh, just leave me alone. You have done enough meddling in my life.

No one is infringing upon you. You will do this thing. And you will listen to me so that you can understand why you will do this.

I will say no if I want to and you cannot stop me.

"No one will ever try to stop you but you do not understand what you are saying and I must show you why you cannot just stop life from being what it is. We are each here in being a part of life and we cannot stop being what we are. There is no place to run that will get you or anyone of us out of life. Life is our teacher and we are each here to learn, and learn we will. It is not a choice. It is what we are. When we attempt to avoid what works in life we find we get into tighter and tighter spots of discomfort until we come to terms with what works.

"This is just the way it is. You do not get to declare that one day you will be part of life and the next day you will choose to not partake. There is only one way to find harmony and peace in your life and that is to take part in the things that work. No one can give you the key to what works for you. It is somewhat personal. In order for you to find happiness you must feel good about your participation in life.

In short, life itself needs you. It needs each of us. We are either in training or we are on the job of serving others in their training. You will come to terms with what you need to do with Boho and you will come to understand that for you, being happy will come from finding peace in watching and understanding what he needs in order to grow into a positive contributor to life.

Flit glares at Joshua as she stands with her hands on her hips declaring, Who gave you the right to tell me what I should do or not do in life?

You did!

And just when did I give you this power?

Before you went into your last life as a fairy you asked me to be your guide. I have been with you all the time you lived your last fairy life. My agreement does not end until you have completed your lessons from that life. You cut your life short by your own choice. You cocooned yourself out of anger and spite . . . not out of a sense of completion in your life. You cannot go forward until you work out your anger and rebellion. And young lady . . . you will not be done with me until I see you get this achieved.

All right! Flit declares. You gave me your message and now you can leave.

I am not going anywhere. I will stay right here at your side until you are ready to listen to me and begin your new work.

You are going to have a long wait.

That is fine.

Don’t you have to be somewhere? Don’t you have some important work to do?

Flit, you are my job. I love you and I have nothing more important to do than to be here for you.

Flit is not willing to let it show but hearing this softens her heart just a little. Does everyone have someone like you in their life?

Everyone who is ready to listen does.

And if I do not want to listen?

"Those who are not ready to listen cannot hear someone like me when I speak. Because you can hear me, tells me you are ready to listen. You just do not want to come to terms with what you are hearing. You want me to say something else until I tell you something that pleases you.

"Life does not work that way. What works . . . works. You just must come to the place were you are ready to take on the discipline of practicing what works in the face of others around you doing things that you know will