Theme: Live today. Now.
Short Story 18
The traveler on the mountain
This is a story of a traveler. He was walking alone on a mountain to reach his home on the other side of the mountain.
The mountain had a thick forest on it and several wild animals lived in it. Suddenly the traveler spotted a tiger at a distance. He was sure it would devour him. He started running, to save his life.
He has now reached the end of a cliff. He realized that the death followed him in the form of a hungry tiger.
In order to escape the jaws of the tiger, the man climbed a tree that had grown on the end of the cliff. He moved on the tree, as far away as possible.
Soon the tiger had reached the tree and moved on the branch to reach him.
He discovered to his dismay that the branch was too slender to carry his weight for long. The approaching tiger would make the tree branch break sooner and faster. Thus the death was approaching the traveler in its second form.
Tiger continued to follow him on to the tree. This signalled the fact that the death is approaching this man faster.
He moved towards the end of the tree branch. The death followed him this time in the form of a fall into the river from a great height.
He thought, in the event the branch breaks, he would fall into the river and flow with it and escape to safety. He then noticed the hungry crocodiles in the river eagerly awaiting his fall. He found that the death is chasing him in the form of crocodiles too.
The death was lurking in his mind. That is the thought that he would fall to certain death as he cannot hold on to the branch for long as the fatigue on his arm would take him to feed the crocs. He is sure of his death is approaching him in many forms and not sure which would cause that and how soon.
That’s when he noticed that a honey comb right above his head and drops of honey dripping from it.. Clutching the branch with one hand, he adjusted his body in such a way that the drops of honey would fall right into his mouth.
He never enjoyed the taste of fresh mountain honey any time in the past.
There is always something that can make you joyous irrespective of nasty and painful situations that surround you.
Identify the best of things around you and enjoy it. It is a matter of attitude.
Theme: Mindless Compassions
Know this:
(1) Compassion is a great Spiritual vehicle. (2) Self-pity is not to be thought of as compassion.
(3) Compassion of people devoid of knowledge can be dangerous.
There are several saints know for their Compassion as their vehicle in their spiritual journey. Ramalinga Vallalar is one to quote.
Compassion is good, but our action based on compassion should not be misplaced.
Because, as the proverb goes “Way to hell is paved with good intentions !”, we often endanger other’s situation with very good intentions.
Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. Struggle is a gift of nature to every specie to make them strong.
The struggle gives us the strength to face the odds in life and wisdom to act.
If we were to go through our initial part of the life without any obstacles and struggles to achieve we would be crippled.
“The way to hell is paved with good intentions”, is an old adage. Mindless compassion is an example.