The Blacksmith’s Lesson: Finding Purpose in the Present In the small town of Greenwood, life was simple. People woke with the sun and worked until the shadows stretched long over the rolling hills. Among the townsfolk was Alan, a young blacksmith with hands calloused from years of work and a mind often lost in thoughts of the future. Alan’s forge was the heart of his days, but his mind rarely stayed present. His thoughts wandered to the life he might have beyond the small town—a grand city, a bustling trade, or a love he had yet to meet. The more he imagined, the more discontented he became with his daily grind. One crisp morning, as Alan hammered away at a plow blade, a stranger appeared at the door of the forge. Dressed in a simple but worn coat, the man carried an air of quiet wisdom. “Good morning,” the stranger greeted with a nod. Alan barely looked up. “Morning. Need something fixed?” “Not quite. I need to talk, if you’ve got ...