William Monks

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Buried Treasure

"How long do you think it will take us to dig up this yard, Grandpa?"

"Well son, about as long as it takes us to finish the job. You don't seem to be in any hurry, so I guess it will take us awhile. You know I'm not in any hurry either. It's a real hot day so we'll take it slow. Let's just dig and talk."

"Grandpa did you ever find buried treasure?"

"Son, it's funny you should ask that question right now. Yes, I found buried treasure, and I found it while leaning on a shovel. This might sound odd to you, but I never had to dig for it.

It happened during the Great Depression when I was a young man not much older than you are now. There were no jobs, so the Government would give us forty bucks a month to work in the community. They called it the W.P.A. We built and repaired roads, and created most of the parks we use today. We laid miles of sewer pipe and build the huge dams that supply our power.

We felt that the money given to us was charity. Sometimes we just couldn't get our hearts into the job. It was strange to see out of work lawyers, teachers, electricians, mathematicians and philosophers all digging in the same hole.

I remember the spot and the very day I found the treasure. We were in a large hole down in Coney Island, and we were about ready to lay pipe. Every once in a while we'd take a break, just lean on our shovel and shoot the breeze. Some of the greatest stories I ever heard was while my body was being supported by the handle of a shovel. Don't get me wrong, I did my share of digging in the thirties.

Since at that moment we were bonded by a common hole, Sam the English teacher said the scene reminded him of the way pirates dug for buried treasure. It didn't take much to get us started on what each guy would do with his share of the undiscovered treasure. In those days dreams were the staff of life.

Well you know what dreams are made of … loads of money, fame, power, big houses, big cars, beautiful woman, handsome children, and time to appreciate all the beautiful things in nature.

While the guys talked two thoughts occurred to me, one, that we all have the same hopeless desires. The second thing is that oldest of us, called Pop by all, hasn't said a word. He's a strange duck, always laughing. He always seems to enjoy himself. He never finishes his lunch, always ends up giving it to the skinny guy who has a tough time with the shovel.

I couldn't resist, "Hey Pop what would you do if you discovered a buried treasure?"

He looks at me a while then says, "Well, son, this will shock you. When I was a very young man I found a buried treasure. All that you men dream of I have." He said it with such sincerity and openness that all attention focused on him. The hole was emptied of sound. We waited.

Pop put his shovel down and with of both his hands stretched out in front of him in what seemed like a pleading gesture, began to talk. He spoke with a sincerity that we were never aware he had. He spoke to us as if we were children.

"Why do you talk of happiness buried in dirt? Is your life so meaningless that you have to create a dream? You are the greatest and yet you make yourself the poorest of God's creatures. Open your eyes and I will show you treasure beyond your wildest dreams.

"You are no longer children. You should by now understand that you are just a small piece of a body that for each of you has lost its value. You have chosen a particular point and place in time and assume that you are the center of being. You want to draw the whole universe to your pedestal. Each of you has the same dream. How silly are your efforts to wish to be commended and honored by each other. The pedestal that you create is only large enough for the self. You can not bring the treasure to your pedestal. You must go to the treasure.

"You seek possessions in vain. The selfish man will always remain barren. He can only wait to join the un-remembered. If you sincerely want the buried treasure I will give it to you. You must first understand the true meaning of treasure.

"Fred, our writer friend, will enjoy the fame of Hemingway. Sam will head the English department at Columbia University. If Charley, our mathematician wishes he will be the originator of the theory of relativity. Amos, our learned councilor, will defend Dreyfus. That child, who won the honors will be your child. Those beautiful roses growing in the yard next door are your roses.

"Do you wish to be that hawk that circles high above us in the heavens, or that graceful seagull that rides warm air currents from the nearby cliffs? You will be the swallow that darts over the meadow or be proud of your colors as a cardinal. You will be the autumn mountain side, the valley in spring bloom. You will be the first man to fly alone across the Atlantic. I will make you the richest man in the world.

"I see in your faces doubt, awe, bewilderment. What I am saying is not the ravings of an old man. You can have all those things that I have offered you, this instant.

"You will also feel pain when a stranger is killed in an accident. You will know the grief of a parent of a retarded child. The hunger of the poorest man in the world will be yours. The terror of the small rabbit, the hawk has picked out as its victim will be shared with you.

"You will feel the suffering of your neighbor who is dying. Your comrade being torn to pieces by shellfire will share his pain with you. You will know the torment of someone's addiction. A piece of cardboard, on a cold winter night will be your resting-place. You can have all those things that I have offered you, this instant.

It all comes in one chest. All of you have this elusive treasure buried within you. If you love with all your heart you have found the treasure. God is love and you are a part of him."

    ~    ~    ~

He looked at his grandson as he leaned on his shovel. "Come on son, let's go have some lunch. Remember son, seek and you shall find."