Your plane is going to crash ...and you have to parachute out of the plane. You land safely in a tree. As you climb down from the tree, you find that there are a half dozen paths leading away from the tree.

The tree is okay for now, and the shade is welcome.  Also thankful for the tree, as it provided a safe landing ...perhaps the ground would have been better, but the tree was better than a lake.

You rest for now, and collect your thoughts ...and count your blessings.  You are alive.

But, you don't want to stay here forever. These half dozen paths must lead somewhere ...or if we say they all led to this tree, they had to lead from somewhere.

A path has no purpose traveling alone. All the paths call out ..."Take me, take me with you!"  To an extent, you must agree that standing still gets you nowhere, so you feel you will eventually go ...somewhere.

So, instead of just standing or sitting still, you decide to progress along the way ...some way.  But, what way??  There are half a dozen paths.

All the paths lead in different directions ...otherwise they would be one well-trodden path, not a half dozen.  But, there is no evidence of anyone or anything here ...so perhaps if you stay here, you will see the likes of who or what travels this path.

But, you are hungry ...and are doubtful you could last long without deciding it's about time to look for nourishment.

And since all the paths lead in different directions, they must lead to different places ...but, what places??

All the places likely will not be similar ...and all could be bad, or all could be good.  Or some could be good, and others could be not so good.

You look up at your parachute dangling from the tree.

Suddenly, you notice something ...something not a part of your own parachute.  It is a cloth of some sort with writing on it.

You climb back up the tree to retrieve the cloth.  The cloth says: "All the paths progress, but you will find they are not all what you'd call progress.  Usually going forward is considered progress, but though you cannot stay here, there is only one path that you'll find is the right path.  The other five paths will only lead to trouble.  Now, go ...but choose carefully."