Long ago, the elders teach that the Great Spirit lived with us in a paradise beyond description. There was no hurt, no pain and no suffering. At the same time however, none of us could experience joy. Of course, since none of knew what we were missing no one really cared. Not that we could care if we wanted to.
Many moons passed and we lived and learned. Great strides were made in all fields of knowledge, great buildings were built and vast libraries filled with books about the knowledge of the universe. But no matter how many buildings that were built or how many books that were written, the people still felt empty.
The Great Spirit understood this and with his great wisdom breathed out across the land. Within his Sacred Breath contained the love He felt for His creations, the essence of feeling itself.
But the Great Spirit knew this gift would come with a cost. As a new understanding arose within the people the Great Spirit knew that many would begin to feel envy and hatred towards each other. They would seek to destroy or hoard the beauty and knowledge around them; unhappiness had been introduced into the world. But with unhappiness, the Great Spirit understood, joy and peace would finally enter the world. Those who chose not to destroy and hoard, but chose to build and share would finally be happy.
And so it is with our world. There is good and bad, happiness and misery, and it is our choice to choose. It is the Great Spirit’s gift to us.