The Journey is a sequel to Susan Marquart's first published story called The Gift, which teaches, "The best gifts are those that are given from the heart."

The Journey begins in biblical times with a young boy named Seth and his parents, Samuel and Anah, heading to the marketplace in Bethlehem. This is a quarterly event they venture out on to sell Father's handmade wooden items and Mother's garden vegetables and prepared wool.

Everyone in the family is looking forward to reacquainting themselves with longtime friends, meeting an assortment of new people, making their own purchases from other tented shops, and selling much of their own merchandise.

Seth hopes the highlight of his day will be a visit to the synagogue to hear one of the rabbis create music on a huge shofar. But first, there are chores Seth must complete to help his parents set up their tented shop along the busy market area.

Sometimes, a day spent at the marketplace can be one of unexpected consequences, and that is what happened to Seth. Seth was placed in a situation where he had to either make a decision that would hopefully correct a disagreement or just walk away with no interaction at all.

What action do you think Seth chose? Why? Would your decision be the same as Seth's?

The teachable moment this tale encourages is this: "Life is a journey. As you walk through it, it is best to leave a path of thoughtfulness behind you." Please enjoy reading this tale.

You might want to read The Gift where this story began. Enjoying The Gift will help you decipher a few events within The Journey that might surprise you!