The Golden Rule

I'm so proud of my brother, but she's right. I miss [[the old times|Family]]. Things were so much simpler and easier. Then again, //I// was a lot younger at that time. Maybe I've just grown up and started to see [[things as they are now|Powers]]. (set: $myList to (a:))

For the record, I am //the// smartest, techiest, wittiest individual in the league. That's right, Tony. And Bruce! And everyone else who thinks they are the smartest Avenger. There's a new girl in town! Perhaps one day, I'll even be the Black Panther! Wakanda is unbelievably beautiful and wonderful - don't get me wrong. But I'm tired of it: the same ol' sights and sounds day in and day out. I've become restless here and [[I'm ready to explore.|Wakanda]]

Ahh, yes. My home. Wakanda forever! [<img src="Wakanda.jpeg" width="400px">] (link: "We have been isolated from the world for centuries.") [It wasn't until recently, when [[T'Challa|Family]] announced our presence to the world that the rest of the world became aware of us.] Since then, the vibranium reserve has been ever so slightly dwindling. After they realized it's the same stuff Captain America's shield is made of, everyone wanted a piece of it! [["Shuri! Shuri!" Mom yells. "Where are you?"|Argument]]

Speaking of //the way things used to be//.... It used to be simple. [<img src="Family.jpeg" width="400px">] Me, T'Challa, Mom, Dad, T'Challa's Mom, Jakarra... okay maybe a little more complex than I remember. Even then, life was straight forward. I was happy with my surroundings. Why has this changed so much? [[Man, I really do miss the old times.|Argument]]

"Shuri!" Mom yells at me from down the hall. Oh no! [[I totally forgot!|Remember]]

(text-color: "#2b67c2")[At the end of it all, am I really willing to risk it all and lose the things that matter most to me just because I want to do it all at my own pace? Family is everything to me. I mean, my mother, my father, and even T'Challa committed to the Wakandaan way in their commencements. I trust their judgement. I'm going to leave (text-color: #ffffff)[[[my fate in their hands.|Reflection 01]]]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "which ultimately led to you finding peace in your decision to stay"))

(text-color: "#6A2CA9")[Seek out the answers. //Seek out the answers. // Okay, what's one thing I learned from my experiences today? That's it! (text-color: "#ffffff")[(link: "Regardless of each religion's views or perceptions about //the meaning of life// or the best choice to make, one thing is true across all religions, including my own! The Golden Rule!") [Treat others as you want to be treated. (text-color: "#6a2ca9")[[[Be good.|Reflection 02]]] ]]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "which ultimately led you to discover the Golden Rule of all religions"))

(text-color: "#cf342e")[You know what? They're right! This is //MY// life. I live with the consquences - regardless of who brigns those consequences. It's time to take control of my life. (text-color: #ffffff)[[[Time to move on from this.|Reflection 03]]]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "which ultimately led to you leaving Wakanda to go find your own life"))

"Choice? You want choice?!" my conscience echoes. "Here's some choice. You wished for this!" Do you [[argue with Mom?]] Maybe Mom will sit and listen to [[your side of things.]] You could also just agree with her, and [[ditch the ceremony anyways.]]

"Shuri... when has this ever worked out?" my conscience echoes even louder. [[If only you had some help figuring out what your religious beleifs even are...|Hinduism & Atheism]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "chose to argue with mom about your coronation"))

"Okay, we can work with this..." mutters my conscience. Logic, reasoning, and a level head. That's what we need. If only you had [[some help|Buddhism & Islam]] formulating your argument... (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "chose to ask mom to hear your side of things"))

She didn't listen. You aren't ready to commit to her choice in religion. You haven't even had the choice to explore and to choose your own path yet! How do others choose their path when faced with difficult situations like this? I wish there was [[a list of commandments to help guide me in dilemmas like this.|Christianity & Judaism]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "chose to ditch the ceremony anyways"))

[<img src="Strange.jpg" width="400px">] "No, there's no god, persay, but there is a Buddha." states Doctor Strange. "Hey!" I conjure up to the misfit pair. [<img src="Kamala.jpg" width="400px">] "A Buddha?! A Buddha?! Sounds like a cheap brand of butter!" Kamala takes a moment to collect herself before continuing, "There //IS// a god, and we call god, Allah." "HEY!" Doctor Strange and Kamala Khan turn my way, with expressionless faces, as if they couldn't care less that I appeared before them on a whim. "I need your help!" You take a moment to bring the two up to speed before posing the question: [["What do I do?!"|Another decision]]

At the end of the day, is this situation really as deep or as damaging as I first thought? I think there is more to it than that. Deep down, I know my family has chosen this path themselves because they believe in it. I might not be there yet, but [[I'm sure as hell not willing to give up my family for a little bit of choice.|Outcome 01]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "you chose to go through with the ceremony anyways"))

Of course! This is something I've always lived by. I mean, look at me! You don't become the smartiest, techiest, wittiest Avenger without doing [[a little soul searching for yourself!|Outcome 02]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "you chose to seek out the answers"))

[<img src="Brahma.jpg" width="400px">] "God exists in you, in me, in that tree, in everything." Brahma bellows. [<img src="Tony.jpeg" width="400px">] Tony Stark looks at me with a puzzled expression, then back at Brahma before composing himself. "How do you know this? Where is your proof? What about the people who wreak havoc in our world. Does your God exist in them?" "I'm just going to stop you both right there," I pitch in. This could go on forever. [[It already has.|A decision]]

"Trust in your path." "Ultimately, you're going to end up in the divine place. The one true way to getting there is to be good, and to collect good Karma along the way." "Collect bad Karma in this life and you'll be reincarnated into a new physical beign in your next life that you might not find as favorable as this one. Collect good Karma, and you move up. One step closer to Nirvana." [["It's really that simple."|Outcome 01]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "you chose to trust in your path"))

"Look, kid." "We don't know anything for sure. How do we know this experience right now is real? Do we even know if our existence is real?" "You just can't prove any of it." "So forget it all. Go live your life. Do what makes you happy. Live the life you want to live... and then? Who knows. [[Just live in the moment and enjoy your life however you can."|Outcome 03]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "you chose to choose your path"))

[<img src="Sabra.jpg" width="400px">] [<img src="Nightcrawler.jpg" width="400px">] "Oh but there is!" Sabra and Nightcrawler exclaim in unison. "There are the 10 Christian Commandments, which center around the main idea that you should believe and trust in your god... and not murder, commit adultery, lie, steal, covet, or otherwise sin." Nightcrawler exclaims proudly. "And in Judaism, we follow the same 10 commandments! But we also added on (link: "a few more.")[603 more.] Like how you should act in your daily life, family matters, personal hygiene, and how a noble one diets. It's actually a lot to remember sometimes..." [["Okay, great guys. I hope the answer to my problem lies somewhere in those commandments of yours." You take a moment to bring the two up to speed before posing the question: "What do I do?!"|One more decision]]

When has my family knowingly led me down the wrong path? Intentionally put me in harms way? Not had my best interests in mind? Exactly. At the end of the day, I have faith in the fact that I will find my way to their beliefs. And if I don't? I don't. No harm. [[Let's do this thing.|Outcome 01]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "you chose to accept and respect your family's decision and move forward with the ceremony"))

I think Sabra's right. But I feel like I don't even know //who// I am. [[I think I need to get away and find this out for myself.|Outcome 03]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "you chose to do your own thing"))

So you: { (if: $myList contains 'chose to argue with mom about your coronation')[- chose to argue with mom about your coronation ] (if: $myList contains 'which led you to discovering Hinduism and Atheism')[- which led you to discovering Hinduism and Atheism ] (if: $myList contains 'you chose to trust in your path')[- you chose to trust in your path ] (if: $myList contains 'chose to ask mom to hear your side of things')[- chose to ask mom to hear your side of things ] (if: $myList contains 'which led you to discover Buddhism and Islam')[- which led you to discover Buddhism and Islam ] (if: $myList contains 'you chose to go through with the ceremony anyways')[- you chose to go through with the ceremony anyways ] (if: $myList contains 'chose to ditch the ceremony anyways')[- chose to ditch the ceremony anyways ] (if: $myList contains 'which led you to discover Christianity and Judaism')[- which led you to discover Christianity and Judaism ] (if: $myList contains 'you chose to accept and respect your familys decision and move forward with the ceremony')[- you chose to accept and respect your familys decision and move forward with the ceremony ] (if: $myList contains 'which ultimately led to you finding peace in your decision to stay')[- which ultimately led to you finding peace in your decision to stay ] } (link: "These choices led you to your fate.") [--- You decide to proceed with the ceremony anyways. As you stand in the midst of your coronation ceremony, (link: "it hits you.")[Wakandaan culture is about family. The root of everything. Both your beginning and your ending. Family guides you from decision to decision, whether they're there beside you or not. It's a decision you already made years ago. This is the only way. Wakanda is family. You end your coronation feeling at peace with your decision.]]

So you: { (if: $myList contains 'chose to ask mom to hear your side of things')[- chose to ask mom to hear your side of things ] (if: $myList contains 'which led you to discover Buddhism and Islam')[- which led you to discover Buddhism and Islam ] (if: $myList contains 'you chose to seek out the answers')[- you chose to seek out the answers ] (if: $myList contains 'which ultimately led you to discover the Golden Rule of all religions')[- which ultimately led you to discover the Golden Rule of all religions ] } (link: "These choices led you to your fate.") [--- You decide to stay and proceed with your coronation ceremony. As you stand in the midst of the ceremony, you reflect on (link: "your new understanding of religion.") [It doesn't matter if your a Christian or a Muslim. Or if you abstain from eating meat or prefer to eat Kosher. That's not what makes you noble. Being a good, kind-hearted human is what matters most.]]

So you: { (if: $myList contains 'chose to argue with mom about your coronation')[- chose to argue with mom about your coronation ] (if: $myList contains 'which led you to discovering Hinduism and Atheism')[- which led you to discovering Hinduism and Atheism ] (if: $myList contains 'you chose to choose your path')[- you chose to choose your path ] (if: $myList contains 'chose to ditch the ceremony anyways')[- chose to ditch the ceremony anyways ] (if: $myList contains 'which led you to discover Christianity and Judaism')[- which led you to discover Christianity and Judaism ] (if: $myList contains 'you chose to do your own thing')[- you chose to do your own thing ] (if: $myList contains 'which ultimately led to you leaving Wakanda to go find your own life')[- which ultimately led to you leaving Wakanda to go find your own life ] } (link: "These choices led you to your fate.") [--- You ultimately decide not to go to your coronation. While the community bustles and shuffles to prepare for your coronation, you essentially "slip out the back door" with little to no plan in mind. The plan is to just go. You know your family will be upset at first, but they will come around to accept it. You can't help but to feel like you lost a big part of who you are. And your life moves forward. You accept this new reality. As time passes, you can't help but wonder if this is the path you would take if you had [[the chance to do it all over again.|Shuri]]] (text-color: "green")[[[Or not.]]]

[<img src="Shuri.jpg" width="400px">] (Link: "Molo, mama!")[Hello, mom!] "Have you seen T'challa? I've been pandering around all morning waiting for him." "I haven't, daughter. He's probably off saving the world in some far away land again," mom softly chuckles. She pauses and mutters to herself, "Ever since they revealed [[Wakanda|Wakanda]] to the world, things have not been the same." "Anyways, let's talk later. [[Don't wander far please."|Shuri]] (set: $myList to (a:))

"What are you doing Shuri?! You're supposed to be preparing for your coronation!" "Mom, I told you I'm not ready for this! I'm not going." "The hell you are! Hurry up and [[get ready!"|Transition]]

Ugh... she just doesn't get it. I am proud of my culture and background, and especially my family, but (text-style:"shudder")[[[I just wish I was given the choice. I want to feel at least somewhat in control of my fate.|The In-Between]]]

"I need your help." You take a moment to bring the two up to speed before posing the question: "What do I do?!" "[[Trust in your path]], Brahma states very plainly. "Your path?! How the hell is she supposed to know what her path is?! Look kid, life is short. [[Choose your path.]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "which led you to discovering Hinduism and Atheism"))

Kamala opens her mouth, pauses, and then illuminates, as if she's found the answer she was searching for. "You should [[go through with the ceremony]]." Doctor Strange barely lets her finish before he butts in and says, "You should [[seek out the answers.]] Wisdom is everything. Enlightenment is the end." (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "which led you to discover Buddhism and Islam"))

"Well..." Sabra pauses, "Although we follow a list of commandments, I think the most important and unifying is family, and treating others like family. I think you should [[respect that your family has your best interests in mind.]] "Orrrr, you could go live your own truth. I'd much rather live a life of truth, than a miserable life masked by a lie. [[Go do you.]] (set: $myList to $myList + (a: "which led you to discover Christianity and Judaism"))

In the end, your family does end up accepting your decision, but you're removed from your royal duties as a result. You are on your own now. In the United States... in [[the Spring of 2018.|the snap]]

[<img src="snap.jpg" width="400px">] You disappear as a result of The Snap.

Double-click this passage to edit it.