But what if it turned out to be a disaster – a bleak, miserable failure?

What if all this energy he was feeling, this enormous thrust towards the inevitable moment of renunciation… what if it just fizzled out… and he was left stranded out there – in the middle of India with…

No money.

No idea.

No hope.

And no God.

What then?

It all came down to the old man and his claim – “I am a holy man.”

Whatever debates ebbed and surged in Max’s mind the resounding fact was he really had no idea what a holy man was. Why he couldn’t simply accept this, and move on, annoyed him intensely. But the question continued to announce itself.

What is a holy man?

Shard had cast a shadow over his future, his right to live his life as he chose. If he believed the old man it was inevitable that one day he would have to confront God. But right now, as he sat wistfully on the wall gazing out to sea, he wasn’t ready for that.

If you believe the old man you have no choice.

On the other hand, if he didn’t believe the old man… and didn’t at least attempt to witness God… he’d be a failure. And not just in the eyes of that old man…

Mate… you’ll be a failure in the eyes of God.