An Unfazed Passerby

The man looked up, donning a brown cowboy hat, tattered blue jeans, and a simple white shirt. He appeared to be naturally strong, the kind of strength that came from hard work rather than the gym.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

The boy shook his head, snapping back to reality.

"Not your concern," he retorted.

"I didn’t mean to intrude. You just seemed a bit upset. Enjoy your day," the man replied, continuing on his way.

The boy was taken aback. Most would have reacted angrily to his tone, yet this man didn’t seem bothered at all. He could hear the man whistling cheerfully as he walked down a side path into the woods. The boy shrugged and followed him into the forest.

A few miles in, he discovered a sturdy tree, kicked it in frustration, and sat at its base. His inner turmoil remained unresolved, and he felt toxic towards both himself and the world. With his eyes closed, he drifted off to sleep.

Gloomy Revelations

He was roused by the sound of cracking branches. Opening his eyes, he spotted two feet inches from his own. Looking up, he recognized the stranger once more.

"Oh, it’s you," he said, closing his eyes again.

"It seems fate wants us to meet again, young man. May I join you?" the stranger asked.

"Sure, as long as you stay quiet," the boy replied.

"Alright," the stranger agreed.

The man remained silent, and the boy nearly dozed off again until he felt his head droop. He jolted awake to find the stranger still there.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just sensed something was troubling you. Perhaps life is guiding me to you. I’m Dapper, by the way," the man said with a friendly smile. The boy hesitated, unsure of sharing his name.

"You’re right; I’m not feeling great. But it’s none of your business. You can leave," he insisted.

"Hmm," Dapper mused. "Why aren’t you feeling well, if I may ask?"

"Because I feel like a total failure!" the boy exploded.

"Oh," Dapper replied, surprised by the sudden outburst. "What makes you feel that way?"

The boy was taken aback. Rarely had someone inquired about his feelings; most simply dismissed them. It only reinforced his belief that he was a failure for feeling this way. He straightened up.

"Well…" He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to unveil his painful emotions to this stranger.

"It’s okay; I understand that it’s intimidating to share with someone you don’t know. If you’d rather not, that’s fine," Dapper reassured him.

"Well, I feel lost. My mind is a fog; I don’t know what I want or where I’m headed in life. I’m just overwhelmed by every decision, even what to eat or whether people like me. It drives me insane."

A soft patter interrupted his outpouring of frustration; it started to rain, droplets cascading onto vibrant green leaves. It hadn’t rained in a while.

Looking at Dapper again, the boy noticed him smiling gently.

"I just don’t understand myself anymore. I feel adrift in this world. Everyone tells me to follow my heart," the boy sighed, lowering his gaze to his fidgeting hands.

It’s Not That Simple

Dapper paused, letting the rain drench the boy, who didn’t care anymore; everything felt bleak. Dapper, however, remained dry, which puzzled the boy.

"My young friend, why do you compare yourself to your friends? Why are you more concerned with their lives than your own?" Dapper asked.

"I care about my life! I want to understand myself and return to who I am!" the boy protested.

"Do you? Because all I hear is that you believe you should have everything figured out because your friends do. Doesn’t that make you feel lost? In reality, you’re on a different path," Dapper noted, touching his earlobe.

The boy fell silent, a grimace on his face. His clothes were soaked, and his long blond hair obscured his vision. He sighed, allowing his shoulders to slump. For a moment, the soothing sound of the rain was the only thing they heard.

Leaning against the tree, Dapper smiled, sensing he had struck a chord.

"I believe I know why we were destined to meet today. You haven’t lost your way; you just don’t recognize it. Deep down, you know what you need right now. What stands in your way is you. You must reconnect with your heart and your destiny," Dapper proclaimed, puffing out his chest and opening his arms. The boy smiled, feeling encouraged by Dapper’s presence.

"You are in your own way. You need to reconnect with yourself; you’ve lost touch with your heart and your own path," Dapper elaborated.

The boy mumbled in agreement, prompting Dapper to continue.

"Look at those clouds up there."

"The gloomy ones?" the boy replied. "They mirror my feelings perfectly: unclear, moody, dull." His faint smile faded as the rain intensified.

"Exactly," Dapper chuckled. "Those clouds cloud your vision of life, obscuring your destiny and the wisdom of your heart." He pointed to the boy’s chest.

"That right there is your heart. It holds immense wisdom. It serves as your guide, your road through this extraordinary life. But you’ve covered it with grey and gloomy clouds. All you seek is to return to that place—your heart, your destiny. That’s your pathway back to the beauty of living; it’s what will make you feel alive."

Dapper’s gaze met the boy’s, but he quickly looked away.

"You must return to that place—your heart, your destiny. That’s your re-entry into the beauty of living, the source of your vitality," Dapper reiterated.

"NO, IT’S NOT! It can’t be that simple. Understanding myself is hard. I feel utterly lost, and you can’t just fix that in an instant. My heart has only brought me trouble. When I followed it, people mocked me and doubted me. That’s all my heart has done—lead me to confusion," the boy said, trailing off.

Dapper appeared pained by the boy's words as thunder rumbled ominously. A loud clap startled the boy; lightning struck a nearby tree.

Returning Home

"I’m sorry, Dapper; I’m lost, and you can’t save me. You should go," the boy said softly, slumping against the tree.

"Sit up! You are not lost!" Dapper asserted firmly, prompting the boy to sit up straight.

"How did your heart make you feel?" Dapper inquired.

"Scared… Yes, I’m scared to follow my heart because I’m uncertain of what lies ahead. I know it’s the right choice, but I’m scared to pursue it. Everything feels unclear, and it makes me feel lost," the boy admitted, starting to cry.

In the distance, Dapper noticed the clouds beginning to part. The sun peeked through, a sign of hope.

"What leads you to believe this is your heart at play?" Dapper asked.

"Because… well, I don’t know. I barely know who I am. How can I discern what my heart is saying or what the right path is?" the boy replied.

"That’s exactly what you need to discover, my young friend. Not all alone; I can help. But this—this is your destiny, your journey of the heart. To re-enter, to return to yourself. To learn to listen to yourself and, most importantly, to understand the wisdom of your heart. That’s why you feel lost," Dapper explained, noticing the clouds clearing further. The boy looked at Dapper, eager for more insight.

"Your fixation on comparing yourself to your friends and what you believe you should be doing has distanced you from yourself. That’s what makes you feel lost; it’s not your heart causing this confusion. It’s your inability to understand," Dapper clarified.

"But… how? How can I not understand myself? I’ve lived with myself for 21 years!" the boy questioned.

"Few people truly understand themselves because they’ve lost touch with their hearts. They follow trends and the crowd. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with following the crowd, each of us has a unique place within it, linked to our individuality. Yet, we fear embracing that uniqueness because it sets us apart. However, being different doesn’t mean being isolated. You can stand out while still fitting in with your friends; separation is an illusion," Dapper paused.

"What illusion?" the boy asked impatiently.

"The misconception that pursuing your heart means abandoning your friends and family or facing their criticism. That’s simply not true. Following your heart may make you unique, but it doesn’t mean you’re alone. You are different, yet never separated," Dapper assured him, prompting a soft smile from the boy.

"This is why we met, my young friend. Each of us has a path, a destiny through life—the road of the heart. To navigate this road, we must reconnect with our heart's wisdom," Dapper stated.

"You don’t need to know every detail about the journey ahead. All you need is the courage to listen to your heart, understand its wisdom, and take action." Dapper pointed at the boy, emphasizing his words.

"And you already know which path you should take. I can’t tell you what it is," Dapper concluded.

The boy smiled, noticing the clouds dissipating. The sun warmed his skin, drying his clothes, embracing him as if he were coming home—back to himself.

"But Dapper, one last question. How do I listen to myself and understand my feelings?"

Release Yourself

Dapper's expression turned proud as he prepared to answer the boy's final question. "It’s quite simple: feel. Feel your body, your heart. Acknowledge your emotions—fear, joy, anxiety—fully and completely. That’s what you just did. Just like the sun breaks through the clouds with warmth, you must embrace your feelings passionately. You felt your fear, and in doing so, you released it—clearing your path. The clouds dispersed, and light emerged. Yes, it was frightening, but life continued to flow. That’s how you understand yourself and follow your heart’s path: feel. Embrace life with warmth and passion. Now, close your eyes for a moment and tune into everything within and around you—listen with your senses," Dapper encouraged, and the boy complied, leaning into the tree.

A smile spread across the boy’s face. Time slipped by unnoticed. Upon opening his eyes, he found Dapper had vanished, leaving him grinning even wider. It dawned on him why Dapper hadn’t gotten wet—he chuckled softly.

"Funny how the heart reveals truths when it desperately seeks to communicate," the boy mused.

Who is the Boy?

You might wonder who this boy is. He is me; this is my story. A tale of returning home—to a place only I know—my heart. My journey through life is guided by the road of the heart. A few years ago, I felt utterly lost, consumed by anxiety and stress, unsure of my desires and purpose. In my desperation, I learned to listen to myself.

It’s not the vague advice often shared online about "following your heart." That question always lingered: how? But one day, amid nature, it all clicked. Listening to my heart meant feeling fully alive. Whether experiencing stress or joy, it was about embracing every emotion with complete attention and passion.

Feeling fully, with all my heart, is the essence of listening to the heart.

That’s the road of the heart. Call it destiny, spiritual awakening, or inner guidance; what matters is that this path makes us feel truly alive.

It doesn’t shield you from discomfort or unsettling experiences. Instead, it opens your heart wide, allowing you to feel everything you encounter. This feeling is what we term listening to the heart—a re-entrance into a relationship with oneself, a deep understanding of who we are.

It requires a bit of courage to embark on this journey. Hence the name Dapper, which means courage in Dutch. So, be brave. Reconnect with your heart, listen to it, and tap into its boundless wisdom.

This is the only way to navigate a peaceful, joyful, and loving life—through the road of the heart. At the end of each day, you’ll be able to say, "Today, I truly lived!" You made the most of it.