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preserve the qualities of mental activity, interest and enthusiasm beyond the average. | recalled a few such people | had known and nodded agreement. ?You have indeed progressed far beyond us,? | said. ?Is it even to the point where your progress f or-ward is never broken?? This caused Firkon to smile. ?Far from it! But when we make mistakes they serve as lessons for our future behavior rather than something to hide or try to justify. Moreover, when any new territory is being explored, whether physical or of the mind, we accept some error as inevitable. To you, what you call failure is shameful and often exposes individuals or groups to the ridicule and censure of others. This is a primary factor in binding Earth people to old ruts when, had they the courage, or their fellow men enough tolerance, they would try new ways. On our worlds, no man who sincerely tries is ever considered a failure, no matter what the results. That man has learned something. Through his very failure, he can make a great contribution to his fellow man. Courage and enterprise have led him to try a new path which, if proven wrong, need not again be trod by others. He alone has suffered willingly, and we, his brothers, commend him.? http://web.archive.org/web/2001090503301 6/http://www.universe-people.com/ As Firkon stopped speaking and glanced at Ramu, | knew that this fruitful talk was at an end. Nothing needed to be said as we rose from the booth. We settled the bill and were again out on the street. This time Firkon and Ramu did not accompany me back to the hotel. ?1 am very grateful,? | said as we took leave of one another, the words sounding inadequate to my own ears. | stood for a moment, watching them walk away, then turned in the opposite direction toward my hotel. 12 Not long after our conversation in the caf#again following an impression, | found myself en route to Los Angeles. All during the drive to that city, | was filled with a kind of joyous anticipation that was like the remembered excitement | used to experience as a child just before Christmas. The mental communications from my friends of other planets were becoming more and more definite as time went on. | knew now, for example, that this encounter would not be confined to a restaurant on the ground, but that they Pa aaa ee ee ee ee ee Ae AL would again carry me up in one of their ships. In this happy mood, the familiar beauty of the mountains through which we rode during the first part of the journey seemed enhanced to even greater majesty. And the valleys, surfaced with golden yellow in the natural state, or a shining green where cultivated, filled me with love for this Earth of ours. Surely, if mankind could learn only to look upon it with new eyes, there could be no room left for bitterness and strife. AGAIN, THE GREAT MASTER