Micae and the Lame Sheep

In a remote valley where light and shadow intertwine, there lived a father named Micae. He was not merely a shepherd but a guardian of life’s profound secrets. He had four sons, whom he named after four noble virtues: Humility, Integrity, Order, and Compassion.Beside his four sons, Micae’s only wealth was a flock of 17 sheep. In his eyes, the flock was a miniature universe where each sheep held its own place and purpose. Yet, within the flock, there was a poor sheep with a withered leg. Because of its limp, it always moved slowly and often fell behind, drifting away from the protection and watchful eyes of the group.

One morning, before his sons led the flock to the pastures, Micae tenderly advised them:
“Pay special attention to the limping sheep. It is the weakest link, and it is the very place where your spirit of service will be tested.”

However, the shadows of the lush green meadows and a sense of overconfidence clouded the sons’ vision. They sat on guard at four corners, proud of their strength and vigilance. They believed that with four robust young men, no wild beast would dare approach. They did not realize that the limping sheep—with only three strong legs—had already caught the eyes of the predators lurking in the darkness. As evening shadows fell, a moment of negligence was all it took; the beast snatched the sheep away. When the flock returned to the pen at nightfall, Micae stepped out. He did not count the numbers; he only looked at the empty space where the limping sheep used to stand. He asked quietly:
“Where is my weakest sheep?”

The son who bore the mark of Pride stepped forward, chest out:
“Father, I did not think any beast would dare hunt our flock while the four of us stood guard. It has likely just wandered off.”

Another son added with indifference:
“We have a vast flock, Father; losing one limping sheep is no great matter.”

Micae’s gaze turned stern, yet filled with profound sorrow. He looked at his four sons and spoke calmly:
“Losing a single sheep is indeed a small thing for a flock. But when you lose the humility to serve as I commanded, that loss is immeasurable. For you have replaced obedience with pride in your own abilities. In doing so, you have become just like that limping sheep with only three legs.”

He took his wooden staff, drew a roof on the ground supported by four pillars, and continued:
“You think you are strong because there are four of you at the four corners? Remember, when even one of you becomes proud, order collapses. At that moment, you too are like a sheep with only three legs—stumbling and unbalanced. And beware, when you lose the pillar of Humility, it is you who will be hunted by the apathy of the wild beasts lurking in the shadows.”

Micae looked at his sons with deep concern, then turned his eyes toward the stars shimmering like 17 seeds of light in the sky:
“When you lack the integrity, order, and compassion to protect the most essential thing, you will never be able to preserve what is most precious: the four pillars and the roof above your heads. Stay awake, lest you too fall and have your souls ‘hunted’ by your own pride.”

Author: Thien Nhan

Author

AUTHOR

Thien Nhan

One world, one birthplace. And one Atlantis... People are not afraid to walk through the darkness in search of treasures and light. But they are terrified to face the darkness within themselves—sometimes denying it, refusing to acknowledge its existence, or refusing to name it. "THE SECRET OF ATLANTIS" is a journey to look into that very darkness. It does not promise to lead you back to treasures or the light. But you will need it when you find yourself collapsing and there is no one left around you. In that moment, "this book is the compass" that guides you, helping you write the journey of your own rebirth.

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THE SECRET ATLANTIS


One world, one birthplace. And one Atlantis…

Could we truly exist and persevere in this world without the Divine
Light, and the nurturing care of the boundless love of a mother?
Each of us was once a minuscule and fragile being, utterly dependent
on love and care to thrive. Yet upon reaching adulthood, we
sometimes succumb to illusions about our own strength – delusions
of status, power, wealth, and fame. Driven by these fantasies, we
drift away from compassion, inciting conflict and devastating wars,
tearing apart families, inflicting grief upon mothers and even those
tiny, fragile beings, forgetting that we were once just like them.

Micae and the Lame Sheep

In a remote valley where light and shadow intertwine, there lived a father named Micae. He was not merely a shepherd but a guardian of life’s profound secrets. He had four sons, whom he named after four noble virtues: Humility, Integrity, Order, and Compassion.Beside his four sons, Micae’s only wealth was a flock of 17 sheep. In his eyes, the flock was a miniature universe where each sheep held its own place and purpose. Yet, within the flock, there was a poor sheep with a withered leg. Because of its limp, it always moved slowly and often fell behind, drifting away from the protection and watchful eyes of the group.