Midas Touch

He wanted things to be so valuable to him, for life to be abounding in meaning. He either hated people, or loved them, and ignored everyone in between. Life was a goldmine. Well, that was, until he received the gift, that whatever he touched would be turned to gold.

Meaning quickly went out the window, for he realised, that the value he had put on things, had far exceeded what had already been there. He touched things he liked, and they became gold. He touched things he loved, and they became gold. When things turned to gold...they died. There could be no life in things of gold. They could just be trinkets; lifeless trinkets, and amulets...but nothing of worth. Well, worth, that is a whole conundrum, and meaning; well, that is can of worms one ought not open.

Anything that had value to Midas, he had to let go off. He had to surrender the very things he viewed as most worthy, because, as soon as he ascribed it more meaning than it ought to have had, if became golden. It became dead and lifeless. The more it meant to him, the more likely it was that this thing or person, would be become dead to him.

And so, he learnt to love the ordinary things in this life, with out clinging to them. Without ascribing them too much meaning, lest they become gold. He learnt to touch gently, in a way that kept the other alive and animate.

He redeemed flesh, and blood, and let go of value and meaning, or at least allowed them to become rich and ordinary.

But, how did he keep his friends, when they meant so much to him? How did he keep lovers, when they meant so much to him? How did he live with other people, when they meant so much to him?

He had to learn to navigate this world, loving, but not clinging....finding value, but not attaching too heavily. Touching lightly. Light enough, to avoid the Midas Curse.