Becoming the Lake ( 01 / 04 / 2015 )
Becoming the Lake ( 01 / 04 / 2015 )
An aging master grew tired of his apprentice ’ s complaints . One morning , he sent him to get some salt . When the apprentice returned , the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and then drink it , and the apprentice did as he was told … ― How does it taste ?‖ the master asked … ― Bitter ,‖ said the apprentice . The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake . The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water , the old man said , ― Now drink from the lake .‖
As the water dripped down the young man ’ s chin , the master asked , ― How does it taste ?‖ … ― Fresh ,‖ remarked the apprentice … ― Do you taste the salt ?‖ asked the master … ― No ,‖ said the young man . At this the master sat beside this serious young man , and explained softly , ― The pain of life is pure salt ; no more , no less . The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same . However , the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in . So when you are in pain , the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things . Stop being a glass … and become a lake .‖
― You may encounter defeat , and yet you need not be defeated ... You may encounter sorrow , and yet you need not be saddened ... You may encounter enemies , and yet you need not know anger ... You may encounter difficulty , and yet you need not know despair . Indeed , it is necessary for us to stumble upon such challenges , for they are the very moments that allow us to remember who we truly are , how indomitable is our Spirit -- how powerful is our Purpose ... These are the moments when we remember that we will ride through every storm that meets us , and that we will arrive at our sparkling destiny ; indeed , these are the moments when we remember that riding those violent gusts with selfless calm IS our destiny ; that caring for others anyway is the reason we are here .‖ (~ inspired by Maya Angelou )
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