Who We Are

By Joseph Knecht

Who are We?
What is our Purpose?
This book contains more than 20 short stories that reveal the answers to these questions.
Short Stories about humans and angels reveal our true nature. Stories made us Who We Are. Stories tell us Who We Are.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joseph Knecht
• Release date: Aug 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9798678669872

Book preview

politician.

Purpose

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Seven angels were sitting around in a circle in the heavens. Gathered around the heavenly fire, they were discussing what would be their purpose when they go down to Earth.

I would become a doctor, one said. I will cure diseases and help the sick.

I would become a composer, said another. I will create musical compositions bringing joy to all those who are dispirited.

I will become a politician. I will create structures of governance that are fair and give support to all people, said the third.

I will become an inventor. I will create new products, bringing more comfort and ease to everyone.

I will become an engineer. I want to help the inventor and make his inventions a reality.

I will become an artist. I will create paintings of all the beauty I see on the Earth. said the sixth angel.

Dead silence.

There were no words coming out of the mouth of the seventh angel.

He was completely mute.

He wasn’t saying anything.

Everyone looked at the seventh angel who was just sitting there quietly.

I don’t know what I want, said the seventh angel in despair.

At that moment, the light of God appeared among the seven angels. God looked into his seventh angels and said…

My angel, you must have a purpose to go down to Earth. No angel goes go Earth without a purpose. You must know what you want. If you don’t know, I won’t know what to give to you.

Oh, my dear God, in that case, I would like to become a writer. I will write stories about God and angels. I will bring all the light I have seen in the heavens down to Earth.

God was pleased.

The angels were satisfied.

One of the angels broke the silence and asked…

Almighty God, we have all shared our own purpose for life. But what about you God? What is your purpose?

God looked at their angelic faces and said…

My purpose is to make all of your goals a reality. My impetus is to give you everything you wished for. At the end of all eternity, I will go down to Earth to die. When all my angels bury me in the Earth I created, I wish the weight of all the hearts I helped to be greater than the weight of my own heart.

But your heart is the greatest, my Almighty God. It houses infinite love. It has infinite weight. That would be impossible, said one of the angels.

For you it is impossible my angel. But for God, nothing is impossible.

Who we want to be

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An angel became curious about the sources of desires that powered the Earth. One day, in order to satiate his curiosity, the angel went down to Earth to inquire who the people wanted to become.

While walking on the Earth, the angel first encountered a little boy on a playground. The young boy was playing in the sand, drinking his drink and occasionally playing with his buddies.

Who do you want to become when you grow up, little boy? asked the angel.

When I grow up, I want to become superman. I will fly around the world and save people. I will be a hero, said the little boy with the biggest smile on his face.

Further down the road, the angel saw a teenager. The angel asked the teenager the same question.

When I grow up, I want to become a scientist like Einstein. Having knowledge is the real power on this Earth, and those who have the most knowledge can help the most people, said the teenager with enthusiasm.

The angel continued to inquire about the desires of men. He sought some more successful people in the eyes of society. Thus he spotted a businessman driving around in his fancy car.

I see you driving a nice car. You must be successful, said the angel. But I want to know where you see yourself down the road of life. Who would you want to become before the road ends?

The businessman looked at the angel and answered, I have helped many people with my businesses. The people have rewarded me with riches beyond my imagination. Before I leave this Earth, I wish to become the president of the country so I can help the most people.

How noble and pragmatic, thought the angel. Grounded in reality, the businessman had no desire to become Superman or Einstein, but something more actual.

At last, the angel decided to go and ask the president what would be his wish to do after he is no longer the president?

The president heard the question of the angel. Drowning in worries and concerns for all his people, he was thinking about all the potential wars and calamities that had to be avoided. The president thought long about answering the question of the angel. But eventually, he realized what he truly wanted and finally, he said: After I retire, I only wish to sit on a beach, drink a cold drink and occasionally play golf with my buddies.

The angel went back to the heavens and reported his findings to the Almighty God.

These men you have created are unusual creatures, said the angel. When they are young, they have the most inquisitive imagination and desire to become more like you, dear God. But as they age, their desires decrease and in the end, they only wish to return to their youthful innocence. I have journeyed to Earth to understand the desires of men. In this effort, I have succeeded. But now, I have come before you, my dear God, to tell me what do you desire? Who does God want to become?

The light of God shined on the angel and God said:

In Heaven I have only you, and on this earth you are all I want.

The man that lost his mind

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After a terrible car accident, a man lost all his memories. His mind no longer contained any knowledge of time past and present. Waking up to his newly found ignorance, the man became frightened. While staring at the hospital ceiling, below the lights of the room he saw the face of a young nurse…

Who am I? asked the frightened man. … and… who, who are you?

You were involved in a car accident, sir. You are lucky to be alive. We have informed your family and they will be here shortly to see you. I am a nurse who will take care of you.

Um… so, so you don’t know me? mumbled the man.

No, I don’t really know you, said the nurse.

After a few minutes, his wife arrived at the hospital. While standing at the door, with tears in her eyes, she saw her husband lying in the bed. She was relieved when she heard that he had no physical injuries. But his mental state was still uncertain.

Who are you? asked the frightened man when he saw the sorrowing woman standing at the door. And.. who… who am I?

I am your wife. We have been married for seven years. We have two little babies together. You don’t remember anything? said the woman while swallowing her tears.

No, I don’t remember anything. I don’t know who I am, said the frightened man.

The wife burst into tears as she faced this new reality. But she found enough strength to compose herself since her husband needed her now more than ever. She sat on the chair near the bed. She pointed to their matching rings that had their initials. She showed him pictures of their wedding, their children, their house. She showed him their life together. For hours and hours, with loving care, the wife shared memories with her husband, hoping their memories will return his erased love for her.

But they didn’t. The memories did not return.

But the wife returned.

Every day, the wife returned to the hospital to share new memories with her husband in order to awaken the love that was now asleep in the man’s heart. She had boundless love for her husband. But now, he didn’t even remember her.

The parents of the frightened man also came to the hospital to see their son. They also shared memories of his childhood. They told him all the stories of his life, from the moments of his first baby steps to the moments when he left their childhood home. They told him that every child leaves home when he wants to form a new home. They loved their son and wanted him to remember the two parents that gave him life.

But the frightened man couldn’t remember anything. He could not recognize his own parents.

Sometimes friends and colleagues also came to the hospital to visit. They also shared stories of their common life. They reassured him not to fear since they are there for him, they will try to help him remember.

A whole year went by. A year in which the forgetful man created new memories, but had no new recollections of old ones.

Every day for a whole year the wife came to the hospital to see the man without memories.

Every other day, the parents came to see their son that had forgotten them.

On some odd days, his friends came to see him.

Despite the effort from everyone around him, the man was still lost. He still couldn’t remember anything of his past life. He couldn’t remember who he is.

One day, drowning in the air of his own melancholy, the frightened man learned something he now knew beyond any doubt. One day, he gained an insight that dissolved all his fears.

During the whole year, he had learned one thing that now he knew for certain. The man knew only those who really knew him, loved him. The more they knew him, the greater their love was for him. Or maybe the more they loved him, the more they understood him.

Either way, this knowledge was enough to break his fears. In light of this new insight, his memories came back. The man finally remembered who he is. The man finally found his lost mind.

The God that lost his mind

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After sitting above the heavens for all eternity, in a split second God decided to forget who he is. God decided to lose his mind. In the fall from above the heavens into the universe, he created the heavens and Earth. In the center of that universe, he placed the heart and soul of every being. No being was higher than other beings. Every particle of dust and every heart of man weighed equally in his eyes.

One day, God decided to come down to Earth to remember who he was. Since humans were the beings with the highest intellect, he decided to ask them first if they knew who he is…

My son, I have lost my mind. Do you know by any chance who I am? asked God.

You don’t exist, said the atheist.

But I am here. Can’t you see me with thy eyes? Can’t you hear me with thy ears? Can’t you feel thy presence in your presence?

I can only see myself. I can only hear myself. I can only feel my own presence on this hollow Earth. In my world, God is nothing and I am everything, in contempt answered the nonbeliever.

God accepted the answer from his son and moved on to ask other human beings. Down the road, he saw an agnostic who seemed confused about the nature of his existence.

I see the confusion on your face, my son, said God. I wanted to ask you if you know who I am, but I feel you are more lost than me. Do you know who I am?

I don’t know who you are. I don’t even know who I am, said the agnostic. All my life I have questioned the existence of God and self. In the abundance of questions, I found only the absence of answers.

"I understand your state of affairs. I find myself in a similar situation now. Would you