Patience

Once, a king announced that anyone who wanted the post of personal assistant must meet him. Many people gathered in the palace. The king led them to a pond and said, "Whoever will fill this pond's water in this pot will be chosen for the post. But remember, there is a hole in the pot." So some people left without a single try. While some people tried for once and then said, "The king has already chosen someone else. Let's go." 

But one man kept filling the pot with pond water patiently. He filled the water in the pot from the pond and came out on the ground. But always within few moments, the water poured on the ground completely. He tried that uncountable numbers of times. At last the pond became empty. The man found a diamond ring in the empty pond and he gave it to the king. At this the king said, "This ring is a reward for your patience and hard work. You are fit for the job." 

No matter how much time you put in, patience is always rewarded.

The missing goat

It all started one lazy Sunday afternoon in a small town. Two school-going friends had a crazy idea. They rounded up three goats from the neighborhood and painted the numbers 1, 2 and 4 on their sides. That night they let the goats loose inside their school building. The next morning, when the authorities entered school, they could smell something was wrong. They soon saw goat droppings on the stairs and near the entrance n realized that some goats had entered building.

A search was immediately launched and very soon, three goats were found. But the authorities were worried,  where was goat No. 3? They spent the rest of the day looking for goat No.3 .The school declared classes off for the students for the rest of the day The teachers, helpers, guards,  canteen staffs, boys were all busy  looking for the goat No. 3,  which, of course, was never found. Simply because it did not exist

Those among us who inspite of having a good life are always feeling a "lack of fulfilment"  are actually looking for the elusive, missing, non-existent  Goat No.3. We feel that the absence of something  is always larger than  the  presence of other things. Let's stop worrying about goat No.3. Enjoy life with what you have.

Nothing is useless

A disciple of Buddha, said, "Oh Master! I have a request to make."

Buddha: "What is it; tell me?"

Disciple: "My robe is worn out. It is no longer decent enough to wear. Please, may I have a new one?"

Buddha looked at the disciple's attire and found that the garment was absolutely in tatters and really needed replacement. So he asked the store-keeper to give a new robe to this disciple.

The disciple offered obeisance to the great master and left the room.

Buddha kept thinking about the incident and felt that he had perhaps missed an opportunity to teach a valuable lesson to the disciple. So he went to the disciple's quarters to talk to him.

Buddha: Are you comfortable in your new robe? Do you need anything else?

Disciple: Thank you Master. I am very comfortable and do not need anything else.

Buddha: Now that you have a new one, what have you done with the old one?

Disciple: I have used it to replace my worn out bedspread.

Buddha: What did you do with the old bedspread?

Disciple: Master, I am using it as a curtain on my window.

Buddha: Did you discard your old window curtain?

Disciple: Master, I tore it into four pieces and am using them as napkins to handle the hot pots and pans in the kitchen.

Buddha: What about the old kitchen napkins?

Disciple: We are using them as mops to wash and wipe the floor.

Buddha: Where is the old mop?

Disciple: Lord, the old mop was so tattered that the best we could do was to take all the threads apart and make wicks for your oil lamp. One of them is presently lit in your room."

Buddha was content. He was happy that His disciples realized that nothing is useless. We can find a use for everything, if only we want to! Nothing should be wasted; not even time!

If all of us were to practice the habit of thrift, we can preserve the non-renewable resources for our children, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren as our forefathers so thoughtfully did for us.

Not everything deserves your time and attention

An elephant took a bath in a river and was walking on the road. When it neared a bridge, it saw a pig fully soaked in mud coming from the opposite direction. The elephant quietly moved to one side, allowed the dirty pig to pass and then continued its onward journey.

The unclean pig later boasted to its friends in arrogance, "See how big I am; event the elephant was afraid of me and moved to onsite to let me pass".

On hearing this, some elephants questioned their friend, the reason for its action. Was it out of fear? The elephant smiled and replied, "I could have easily crushed the pig under my leg but I was clean and the pig was very dirty. By crushing it, my leg would have become dirty and I wanted to avoid it. Hence, I moved aside."

Realized souls will avoid contact with negativity not out of fear but out of desire to keep away from impurity though they are strong enough to destroy the impurity.

You need not react to very opinion, every comment or every situation. Kick the dram and keep going ahead. Choose your battles wisely. Not everything deserves your time and attention.