today i am reminded of that anecdote from way back my SADE days some 20 years ago. it's a story about a sculptor who was always dissatisfied with his life, always wanting something else aside from what he already had.
now a happy king, he lived in a castle and ruled a vast and rich country. until one day, he walked out on his palace's patio and was overwhelmed by the glare of the sun's blinding light. he couldn't believe something was more magnificent than he. he became so envious that he shouted to the heavens, i wish i were the sun! the heavens opened up and a ray of light shined upon the king and right then and there, he became the sun.
later that afternoon, as the new sun shone upon the whole vast country that he once ruled as a king, a gray cloud came by. it covered the sun and the sun, being permanently in place couldn't do anything about it. and it realized that this cloud, however gloomy and sad it is, has power over the sun. he became so envious that he shouted to the heavens, i wish i were a cloud! the heavens opened up and a ray of light shined upon the sun and right then and there, he became a cloud.
pretty soon, the cloud felt itself getting heavier and heavier. and after a while, it felt itself transforming into tiny drops of rain. each drop fiercely fell down on the land below. it couldn't do anything about it and decided to concentrate dropping on an immovable piece of rock on the ground. but no matter how hard the rain fell on the rock, it would not budge. no sir, not one bit. and the rain was aghast! he became so envious that he shouted to the heavens, i wish i were a rock! the heavens opened up and a ray of light shined upon the rain and right then and there, he became a rock.
several weeks passed. the rock sat quietly on the side of the road. it knew that it was more powerful than the sculptor, the king, the sun, the cloud and the rain. unmoving. unaffected. lonely.
until one day, a young man walked past the rock, looked back at it, picked it up and took it home. the young man then took out a hammer and a chisel and little by little, sculpted the rock a new shape that will later on be admired by generations.
and the rock knew the power that he had always had inside of him. he was no longer envious. and he whispered to the heavens, i wish i were the sculptor that i once was.
and the rock knew the power that he had always had inside of him. he was no longer envious. and he whispered to the heavens, i wish i were the sculptor that i once was.
"The soul of the world is nourished by people's happiness.
And also by unhappiness, envy and jealousy.
To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation.
All things are one. "
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
No comments:
Post a Comment