One time in a dream, I was walking along the side of the road in the middle of the desert. I’d no recollection of why I was walking there, but I could see a town up ahead and maybe half a mile to the right. It seemed somewhat ordinary for a small town, but the closer I got to it the more I could see cars driving to and from it, and people moving every which way between the buildings. I decided to head towards the town in the hope of getting out of the heat of the late morning sun for a bit.

Shortly before entering the town, I noticed a large sign flanked by a few prickly pear cacti. The sign read “Welcome to Ordinalis.” Interesting name for a town. Continuing on, I began walking on the sidewalk of what seemed to be the main street, lined with row after row of businesses, restaurants, and cafes. I took a look inside the windows of a few of the businesses to see what I could learn about this town. In one window, there appeared to be rows of students taking notes at desks listening intently to an instructor writing on a whiteboard. In another window, a group of people keenly listening to a man in an apron giving instruction on how to bake bread. Next was a workshop, where a mechanic seemed to be giving detailed instructions on how to repair a car engine to a swarm of attentive individuals. Shop after shop, it seemed that at each one, a group of people were there to learn a trade or a skill.

I stopped over at a nearby restaurant, sneaked past a waiter teaching a gathering of bright-eyed young people how to carry a tray of drinks without spilling them, and went over to sit at the bar and asked for a glass of water.

I asked the bartender, “What kind of town is this? It seems like everywhere I look, people are studying to learn one skill or another.”

Placing a glass of water before me, the bartender replied, “Welcome to Ordinalis, friend. That name, it’s Latin for “order,” and a fitting name it is for a town like ours. Here in our town, we try to set a rhythm of growth so that people can be the best versions of themselves and work together with each other. We encourage people to visit each business one by one and learn a new skill every week.”

“That’s an interesting model for a town,” I said. “But surely you don’t expect people to fully digest those skills in just a week!”

“No, sir. Some skills can take a lifetime to fully set in. But the classes are offered the same way every year, so students can keep learning and learning until it sets in and becomes natural for them.” “I see.” I thought for a moment. “And the town itself is run by those who have reached a professional level then?”

“It’s not just the professionals,” answered the bartender. “The best way for people to learn and grow is by doing. So it’s customary here for people to work alongside the professionals to hone their skills.”

“Sounds like a pretty good way for people to grow. Does everyone take the classes?” I asked.

The bartender responded while wiping a glass, “No, not everyone. No one is forced to take the classes. Everyone has their own choice of what they want to do with their lives. Some leave the town, others stay, but don’t involve themselves in much. Some avoid them at first, but eventually they come around."

Suddenly the bartender looked up at me with a playful but piercing gaze. “So why did you come to this town?”

And then I woke up.