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Travis Noble, a hyperborean, was born in the disconsolate city of Iqaluit in Nunavut, the farthest Provence north of Canada. His early youth was spent in exhaustion by the daily labors of shoveling snow and feeding caribou until on one particular bright summer day he raised his body to the sky and asked aloud, "What is the meaning of this life? Is there anybody out there?"
At an early age of six, Travis Noble fled Canada on the presumption that nobody in close proximity had answers for his questions. He made his way southward, and landed himself in Detroit, Michigan where he immediately made acquaintance with a wise wizened old Chess master named Chan Do Fat.
For the next several years, Travis Noble was taught in the ways of the wise wizened old Chess master, who explained one day, "Yes, offense is important, but not in the way you think. Listen young man. Offense is important when your opponent thinks he has it. For, that will be his downfall. Your offense, Travis, is not in your attack, it's not in how many pieces you have, no, it's in your setup... it resides in your defense! A piece is only as good as its position! Therefore, always Castle, and maintain control of the center. Remember, and yee shan’t fail.” Travis Noble realized that though this advice is very helpful toward Chess, it is also fundamental toward life.
It was a sad day when Travis Noble had to depart from his new friend, but Chan Do Fat said, “You have learned all that is necessary. I cannot teach you more. You must go see my friend in Cambridge, for he shall expand your learning. Go young warrior of knowledge, and let your smile pave the way through all battlements of grief.”
Boarding a plane, a single tear left Travis Noble’s eye as he saw his wise wizened old friend one last time. Eastward the plane soared over the Atlantic, finally landing down at the English airport, where a bus took him to a train that took him the rest of the way to Cambridge where he met Master Osagi Nojini.
For years, Travis Noble studied under Master Osagi Nojini who spoke of the knowledge and teachings of the wise philosophers of our past like Confucius, Siddhartha Gautama, Jesus Christ, Krishna, Diogenes, and many others. Together, they delved into the books of the ancient times like the New Testament and the Bhagavad-Gita.
“Master Osagi,” Travis Noble one day asked, “Why do you have me learn from all these different philosophers and books when they are so contrary?”
“I want you to understand something. Traditions, symbols, and handshakes are not important. What is important are the messages. I wanted you to really listen, to decide for yourself” and then he smiled, “follow the light within; in that way, you can be your own good person. So, tell me, what are you?”
“I’m my own good person.”
“That’s right,” he said. “Now, I have taught all I can. There is only one more lesson remaining.”
Travis Noble was quite expecting that he would have to pack his bags again and go across the world to see another old master. But, he was completely surprised when Master Osagi Nojini said, “Live. You must go on your own now, and learn life. You know these books, you know these ancient philosophers, but tell me, do you know yourself? You must go now and apply yourself to everything in order to learn yourself. Sometimes, you may lose yourself; sometimes, you may become something you never imagined; but just remember this: Be yourself. Now, go. And please step gracefully, for if you should accidentally bend a flower back with the heels of your feet, it shall not break, but instead shall swing back upward.”
Travis Noble left Master Osagi Nojini’s house with the whole world before him.