Nick De Moss

  Once there was a poor family that lived in a cozy cottage surrounded by grassy fields as far as the eye could see. The family’s wealth as well as their well being relied on sheep. On a particularly long harsh year the father had no choice but to travel to town to trade his wool. It is a long journey and he cannot afford to leave his sheep alone. So his only son was tasked with taking care of his sheep. He gave his son one important warning “Do not slack on this my son, keep your eyes on our sheep. We depend on it. You may take our dog Enzo with you he will help you keep the sheep together. However, the dog is good for little else. You are responsible for herding them properly. Do not let my sheep overgraze or the land itself will suffer the consequences. Show proper stewardship.”

 So his father’s journey for survival began…

And the shepherd’s journey began as well. He was a hard worker and he learned much of herding from his herding companion Enzo. He observed Enzo, and he noticed the dog was energetic and youthful. His father trained his dog well indeed.

 Enzo was able to keep his sheep together and had no stragglers on his watch. 

The days grew longer for young shepherd. Eventually, he noticed he wasn’t young at all anymore. He wondered where his father was or if he would ever return home at all. His supplies were running low and he worked himself to exhaustion. He noticed grey hairs on his childhood friend Enzo. The shepherd became more restless and made more mistakes. The passage of time continued.

    Eventually the shepherd began his routine one morning and he could not wake old Enzo. He was deeply saddened by his passing. He mourned for days of the lost of his only friend. He saw no point in continuing herding for a father that will never return. So the shepherd made himself a hammock and decided to spend his golden years in leisure.

He began lounging while herding not seeing the point in all his labor. As he lounged he listened to nature. It took his breath away, he never truly enjoyed the nature around him until he relaxed. As he rocked in his hammock he accidently fell asleep while multitasking. 

As he woke he noticed all the grass where he was disappeared. His sheep were nowhere in sight. He gave up searching for them and continued to lounge. His naps on his hammock grew harder without the usual chirping and scampering of wildlife. They all abandoned his field. The shepherd saw no point in fussing over this and continued to lounge. Weeks passed and his eyes closed and his mind drifted yet again. When he rose he awoke to a foreign land. The grass was gone. The trees, plants, and soil were gone and only sand remained. This desert he himself created engulfed the land and his home. He wept and regretted not heeding his father’s warning. The animals began their march for a new home and left the shepherd just as his friend and own father did. 

The father returned to where his home once stood and saw this desert barren without life. He searched for his son and dog to no avail. He stumbled over a dune and saw an open grave with only one message crudely etched: “Forgive me for all that I have done.”

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