Encouragement
We have only to open the newspaper, or switch on the television to see that there has been yet another act of violence or of murder somewhere in the world. It seems sometimes that this is what the future is going to be, one nation or ethnic group against another.
But why? Why can we not all live in peace? In the short term we can only rely on the political leaders of the world to get together once and for all and sort out this awful mess. In the long term we as individuals can help by spreading the message of peace wherever we go. So, with this in mind you will hopefully find that the following old story is very apt.
It is a story of a king who lived long, long ago, who offered a fabulous prize to be awarded to the artist who would paint the finest picture of peace. Many artists flocked to the palace with their works. But out of all those thousands there were only two pictures that he really liked, and he had the difficult task of choosing between them.
The first painting he picked up was of a calm lake, nestling between peaceful towering mountains. Overhead was a blue sky with white fluffy clouds dotted here and there, and birds hovering lazily on the wing. All who looked upon this picture considered that this was the perfect picture of peace.
The second painting had mountains too, but these were rugged and bare, and had a menacing look about them. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and lightning struck. To add to this dark scene a foaming waterfall crashed down the side of the mountain. This did not look peaceful at all.
But when the king looked closely at the second picture, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest, and there in the midst of the rush and the noise of the water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace.
Without hesitation the king chose the second picture.
The courtiers were aghast and cried out, “But why have you chosen this picture when it shows such a vision of darkness and danger?”
“Because,” explained the king, “Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the true meaning of peace.”
We live in an age of global terrorism, of industrial pollution, and increasing crime, but even so we can still carry with us an air of calm and tranquillity. Worry and uncontrolled fury against what is happening around us has never achieved anything, apart from a sour attitude and the occasional heart attack.
Wherever we are, and whatever we are doing, if we go about our daily tasks with goodwill to others and with peace in our hearts and minds then we can achieve anything.
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