This is a coming of age story full of rich spiritual imagery inspired by “The Temple Legend” by Rudolf Steiner.

Once upon a future time, there was a youth named Juan Estrella, who lived with his grandfather in a fertile valley by the sea. The youth’s wise old grandfather often told him stories of an ancient lost temple of gold, which was buried beneath the sand centuries ago. Juan marveled at his tales, and longed with all his heart to build temples of gold that would not be swept away by time.

One day, Juan’s grandfather gave him a precious golden triangle to wear around his neck, and sent him away on a journey. Reluctantly, with tears in his eyes, Juan leaves his beloved grandfather, and sets off with his donkey, Estrellita, wherever she wanted to wander, through the valley, across the sand dunes and down to the sea.

Before long, they came upon an ancient wooden door, the entrance to a buried temple, half covered with sand. Juan dug away the sand, entered the temple and explored the stone passages and stairways. There he encountered many more doors that revealed their priceless treasures.

After his amazing adventure, Juan and Estrellita return home with a gift for Juan’s grandfather and a revelation. Juan’s journey taught him the real secret of how to build new temples of gold that will not be swept away by time.

The author is a screenwriter and painter living in Santa Cruz, California.