A Square in Circle Land

A parable of our times, by Maria Mathai

From Circle Land a traveller set out to find new experiences. In his travels across the world he saw many different wonders and different shapes. Some were familiar, some variations of the old, and a few he had never seen before. There were many things that he wanted to share with his Circle people but he could not carry back everything to Circle Land. 

As he walked across the surface of the earth he saw many shapes. Some fascinating, some disgusting. One day he fell in love with One shape. It was different, interesting, it challenged his concepts and he liked it so much he could not bear to part with it and took it home with him. He came back home from his long travels with just one memento - a Square. 
The Square was the pride of his home. In his circular home, with its circular fittings and rounded walls, the right angled Square stood tall and shining. All the people of his land looked at it with wonder. People came from far and wide to see this amazing sight and no one went back disappointed. 

Have you heard of a square!!

Did you know it has four sides.

Unbelievable, can you see all the sides are the same size. 

For the baby circles it provided infinite entertainment. That a square has an End that you can roll off was the most fantastic past time for them. It was amazing and many thanked God for giving htem an opportunity to view such a wonder in their likfetime!

Time passed by. 

The novelty of the square wore off.

People moved on - to newer wonders. 

Our traveler stopped travelling. His eyes got accustomed to the rounded curves of his world. The flowing lines pleased his eyes. With time he realised that The Square no longer fit in his living room. It didn’t change. It was passive. It stood out as being different. The abrupt lines spoilt the symmetry of his Circular world. 

So he picked up his tools and rounded off the edges. Next day, he smoothed the abrupt right angles into gentle curves. Slowly but surely his Square lost its squareness and started taking on a circular shape.

The traveller grew older. 

One day he looked at what had once been the square and thought, why did I ever think this was interesting. 

It is so boring…….. 

And this is when most of us start looking for entertainment outside our relationships. Or we feel our extra marital affairs are justified.