Week 4 Storytelling: Standing on Shoulders

Bill Zion, the orphan turned millionaire, was a kind man. He was thoughtless of his own happiness, protective, and possessed a certain inherent royalty. He was born to parents who loved drugs more than their own accidental son. They mostly kept him for welfare until the state finally took him away from them.

Bill started his company when he was 18. He didn’t go to college, but he was exceptionally gifted. His company was called “Zion Global” and it was a hedge-fund management firm. He built it from nothing, and he was incredibly loved at the company.

The only thing Bill might have been better at than building a company was raising children. His wife Holly wasn’t homely, but she wasn’t a model. Still, Bill loved her with his entire being, and he found her to be the most attractive woman in the world. They had two children together, and Bill raised them to be good, kind men – men who cared about the world, who cared about people, and who were genuinely concerned with the wellbeing of those around them. Bill was proud, but he was also growing old.

One day, he thought to himself, “Why should I die first? Should I not be able to see my son run my very own company, instead of looking down at him from heaven?”

Thus, he called together the board of Zion Global, and said to them, “I have grown quite old, and in my great age, I have one last desire. I wish to see my eldest son Conner become the CEO of Zion Global.” Anticipating mixed reviews, Bill was surprised at the eruption of cheering the assembly dived into. They were ecstatic. One man said, “Conner is the best!” Another shouted, “Do it in the morning!”

To be quite honest, Bill was a little upset at the reaction his request received. He had hoped to fight for his son’s position and to provide for him an opportunity. It seemed as though his son’s attractive personality had provided the opportunity for himself, and Bill felt as though he were almost unnecessary in the entire process.

He snapped in anger, “Be quiet! While I am still in charge, you wish for another boss?”

The room quieted, but one of the older board members stood up and addressed Bill. “Bill,” he started, “You are one of the best men I know. Even more, you are the best father I know. You care more for our happiness than anyone else’s, and you protect us and provide for us. But now, it is your time to rest without burdens. You have raised up a son who is more loved and who is even better than you. Isn’t that the desire of all fathers?”

Bill went home, sad and thankful, and pondered over the words of his favorite president. Ronald Reagan once said, “Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we've ever known.” The words comforted him.

Image Information: Board Meeting, by LeClair Ryan

Source: Emerge

Author's Note: This story is an adaptation of William Buck's retelling of The Ramayana. There is a part in his retelling when he tells the story of Dasaratha presenting the lesser kings with a request: to make his son Rama the new king while he was still alive. They accepted the idea with great joy, and Dasaratha became angry.