Gordon,

Thank you for Vernon Howard.
I was familiar with his name through Guy Finley but never had a chance to meet him "in books".
I just ordered 8 of his books.
Thank you.

As for the "crossword puzzle"...

Here is the solution:

Traveler: Dien Rice

Objects:
Pumpkin: Dien's Chattel Business Project
Rock: Dien's Investment Project/Plan
Object3: Dien's SowPub Business
Object4: Dien's Projects in Physics
.......(you can continue the list - Dien's Plans/Projects are well documented in his posts)

They are all PROJECTS, not material things/possessions, requiring time.

Voices of the Villagers:
1. Abandon physics, go into business.
2. Abandon the Internet, go into offline mail order.
3. Abandon information products, start selling cars, computers...
......

Again, my point is:

Dien's stress is NOT about the number of the projects.

It's about his desire to focus on ONE of them.

I might be wrong.

If Dien finds a way to play/toy/juggle with them ALL without focusing, there will be no stress.

I think that his posts on this board about different books, plans, projects is one of the form of this "juggling".

As for "calling" - I just don't believe that "deal-making" is Dien's calling.

The caliber is too small to be called and experienced as Calling.

In the same vein I don't believe that golf or chattel is YOUR calling.

As for your (or Vernon's) metaphor/mental picture I still think it's treacherous.
For it presupposes that the "villagers" are right.
BTW, my picture is a sufi parable that just QUESTIONS the validity of the given advice.

Metaphors are like glasses.
Some of them are plain dangerous for the sight.

For instance the metaphor that compares business to a card game or horce racing and suggests you stack "odds in your favor".

There is nothing here that is "over your head".

Thank you for your reply.

Simon