One bright morning I set out to paint the landscape around Bethlehem.

All of a sudden there was the muse standing in front of me.

I recognized her right away.

«Good morning,» I greeted her.

«Hello, Sasha,» she said.

«Why did you reveal yourself to me?» I asked. «If you want to say something, go ahead, because I have no time to spare. The paints are drying up.»

«What is there to say, my dear Sasha. You know everything yourself… What’s the use of trying to fathom the meaning of profound concepts, or wasting your life searching for a gospel for humanity? Look around! The myth is more real than reality, and the mundane is full of charm. The less attention you pay to yourself the more yourself you will be. The eternal is more innovative than the latest news. Banality harbours a hidden secret, while the pursuit of originality is really banal…»

The muse kept on talking till I interrupted her to ask: «All right, madam, but what does all this have to do with me? What exactly do you want with me?»

She looked at me dumfounded for a few moments, then waved her hand in despair, handed me a paintbrush and vanished.

Go figure it out…