Wisdom of the world - Week 136

Silence 

 

“Would you teach me silence?” I asked.
“Ah!”
He seemed to be pleased.”Is it the Great Silence that you want?”
“Yes, the Great Silence.”
“Well, where do you think it is to be found?” he asked. “Deep within me, I suppose. If only I could go deep within, I’m sure I’d escape the noise at last. But it’s hard. Will you help me?” I knew he would. I could feel his concern, and his spirit was so silent.
“Well I’ve been there,” he answered “ I spent years going in. I did taste the silence there. But one day Jesus came, maybe it was my imagination- and said to me simply, “Come follow me.” I went out and I’ve never gone back.”
I was stunned. “But the silence...”
“I’ve found the Great Silence, and I’ve come to see that the noise was inside.”
Father Theophane

Wisdom of the world - Week 135

 

Catch the monkey
In India, hunters had a proven way of catching monkeys. A half coconut would be hollowed out and a hole made that was only large enough to let a monkey’s hand pass through. The coconut was then pinned to the ground and tempting food placed beneath. A monkey would approach, intent on getting hold of the food beneath the coconut, but alas as soon as it grasped the food in its fist it found itself unable to pull its hand and the food free of the coconut. Imprisoned it would stay, caught by its own unwillingness to open its fist.

Wisdom of the world - Week 134

The Prophet

A prophet once came to a city to convert its inhabitants. At first the people listened to his sermons, but they gradually drifted away till there was not a single soul to hear the prophet when he spoke.
One day a traveller said to him, “Why do you go on preaching?”
Said the prophet In the beginning I hoped to change these people. If I still shout it is only to prevent them from changing me.”

Wisdom of the world - Week 133

Being heard

The whole family went out for a meal one evening. Menus were passed to all including Molly, the eight year old daughter. The conversation was an “adult” one so Molly sat ignored. When the waiter took orders, he came to Molly last.
“And what do you want?” he asked.
“A hot dog and a glass of lemonade,” she said.
“No”, said her grandmother,” “she’ll have the roast chicken dinner, carrots and mashed potatoes.”
“And milk to drink,” chimed in her father.
“Would you like ketchup or mustard on your hot dog?” asked the waiter as he walked away, taking the parents aback.
“Ketchup,” Molly called out. She turned to her family and added, “You know what? He thinks I’m real!”

Wisdom of the world - Week 132

Porcupines And The Coldest Winter Ever

It was the coldest winter ever, and many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realising the situation, decided to group together. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they shared their heat with each other.
After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other to stop being wounded.
As they did this, they began to die... alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it, was the heat that came from the others that enabled them to survive the coldest winter ever.

Wisdom of the world - Week 131

To the point

A century ago, a young student at Oxford University in England was taking an important exam in religious studies. The examination question for this day was to write about the religious and spiritual meaning in the miracle of Christ turning water into wine. For two hours he sat in the crowded classroom while the other students filled their pages with long essays, to show their understanding. The exam time was almost over and this one student had not written a single word. The proctor came over to him and insisted that he commit something to paper before turning it in. The young Lord Byron simply picked up his hand and penned the following line. “The water met his master, and blushed.”