Wisdom of the world - Week 159

The Prince and the Dark Horse

There was once a young prince who, having reached the age of maturity, left home to live on a grand estate given to him by his father. He was told that if he ever needed help he was to put a light in the uppermost tower window, and his father would send a special horse and carriage to carry him to safety.
However, his father also warned him that an evil wizard, an enemy of the kingdom, lived not too far from his new home. The prince was told to be wary when setting his signal, for this wizard would also see this light and might himself send his own horse and carriage to carry the prince off to who knows what kind of danger.
Of course, this frightened the young ruler-to-be. After all, how would he be able to tell the difference? His father assured him there was a foolproof measure. Each time, before entering the rescue carriage, he was to closely examine the horse pulling it. A light-coloured horse would always take him to safety, but a dark horse would always take him to danger.
As one might imagine, many of the ordeals that come with the ruling life befell the prince, each one causing him to put a light in the window. And for many months, because he was in such a rush to escape his castle when he felt in danger, he failed to heed his father's warning; time and time again he neglected to examine the horse that came to get him. As a result he often found himself on one painful wild ride after another where, too late, he realised his inattentiveness was causing him as much distress as the condition he was trying to escape.
Eventually, he found the presence of mind before he would get into the carriage that had come for him to see if the horse pulling it had been sent by the evil wizard or by his father.

Guy Finley

Extreme Rose Pruning!!!

Wisdom of the world - Week 158

Loving the People

My son Paul got a job with a large chain of music shops. He had never worked in a retail organisation before. The pay was based on a small salary plus commission. They put him through an extensive sales training. It was the usual stuff on how to approach a customer, present the product and mostly of course, close the deal and make the sale! It was almost like a car dealer's pitch, "Do you want the red car or the white?"
He wasn't doing well. To make matters worse, they had an embarrassing gimmick. A photographer was based in the car park and took a picture of every customer who left without carrying anything. These photos were posted on what they called "The Be Back" board in the employees canteen. Many of the "I'll be back" customers were his.
Paul dropped by for coffee one morning. He said, "Mam, you used to be in sales. What am I doing wrong? What's the key?" I answered him, "The key is that you have to love those people you are selling to. Never count the commission in your mind. Do what is best for them if they are just buying some strings or an expensive guitar."
I went on "I believe that 99% of communication is mental. People sense if you are coming to them with a loving attitude or as a desperate salesman looking to close them."
He said he'd try it.
His sales started coming in. Then they really escalated. He became the top salesman in the shop. And his salary reflected it. (the management started to watch him carefully to make sure he wasn’t giving stock away) In six months, he was one of the top ten salesman in the entire chain out of 40 around the country. This company gives an extravagant party once a year to honour their top ten salespeople. Limos, deluxe hotel, elegant dinner - the works. Paul was of course included.
After the dinner, the president of the company approached him.
He said, "Paul, how did you do this? You came up out of nowhere."
Paul answered, "I don't want to tell you. You won't believe me."
"Of course I'll believe you. Tell me."
Paul gulped. "I started loving the people who come in."
The big boss replied, "Okay Paul, now tell me how you REALLY did it."

Wisdom of the world - Week 157

The Chess Game


A young man said to the abbot from the monastery: "I’d actually like to be a monk, but I haven’t learned anything in life. All my father taught me was to play chess, which does not lead to enlightenment. Apart from that, I learned that all games are a sin."
"They may be a sin but they can also be a diversion, and who knows, this monastery needs a little of both," was the reply. The abbot asked for a chess board, sent for a monk and told him to play the young man. But before the game began, he added:
"Although we need diversion, we cannot allow everyone to play chess the whole time. So, we only have the best players here; if our monk loses, he will leave the monastery and his place will be yours."
The abbot was serious. The young man knew he was playing for his life, and broke into a cold sweat; the chess board became the centre of the world.
The monk began badly. The young man attacked, but then saw the saintly look on the monk’s face; at that moment, he began playing badly on purpose. After all, he would rather lose; a monk is far more useful to the world.
Suddenly, the abbot threw the chess board to the floor.
"You have learned far more than was taught you," he said. "You concentrated yourself enough to win, were capable of fighting for that which you desire. Then, you had compassion, and were willing to make a sacrifice in the name of a noble cause.
Welcome to the monastery, because you know how to balance discipline with compassion."

Paulo Coelho

Wisdom of the world - Week 156

Two drops of oil

A merchant sent his son to learn the Secret of Happiness from the wisest of men. The young man wandered through the desert for forty days until he reached a beautiful castle at the top of a mountain. There lived the sage that the young man was looking for.
However, instead of finding a holy man, our hero entered a room and saw a great deal of activity; merchants coming and going, people chatting in the corners, a small orchestra playing sweet melodies, and there was a table laden with the most delectable dishes of that part of the world. The wise man talked to everybody, and the young man had to wait for two hours until it was time for his audience.
With considerable patience, he listened attentively to the reason for the boy’s visit, but told him that at that moment he did not have the time to explain to him the Secret of Happiness. He suggested that the young man take a stroll around his palace and come back in two hours' time.
"However, I want to ask you a favour, “he added, handing the boy a teaspoon, in which he poured two drops of oil. "While you walk, carry this spoon and don't let the oil spill."
The young man began to climb up and down the palace staircases, always keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. At the end of two hours he returned to the presence of the wise man.
"So," asked the sage, "did you see the Persian tapestries hanging in my dining room? Did you see the garden that the Master of Gardeners took ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?"
Embarrassed, the young man confessed that he had seen nothing. His only concern was not to spill the drops of oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.
"So, go back and see the wonders of my world," said the wise man. "You can't trust a man if you don't know his house."
Now more at ease, the young man took the spoon and strolled again through the palace, this time paying attention to all the works of art that hung from the ceiling and walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around the palace, the delicacy of the flowers, the taste with which each work of art was placed in its niche. Returning to the sage, he reported in detail all that he had seen.
"But where are the two drops of oil that I entrusted to you?" asked the sage.
Looking down at the spoon, the young man realized that he had spilled the oil.
"Well, that is the only advice I have to give you," said the sage of sages. "The Secret of Happiness lies in looking at all the wonders of the world and never forgetting the two drops of oil in the spoon."

Wisdom of the world - Week 155

Should He Bite Me
One time a large stone fell upon Snake and covered her so that she could not rise. A man came upon her and lifted the stone, but when he had done so, she wanted to bite him. The man said, "Stop! Let us first go to someone wise." They went to Hyena, and the m Man asked him, "Is it right that Snake should want to bite me, even though I helped her so much?"
Hyena (who was looking for his own share of the man's body) said, "If you were bitten, what would it matter?" So Snake thought that settled it, but the man said again, "Wait a little, and let us go to other wise people, that I may hear whether this is right." They went and met Jackal, and the man put the same question to him.
Jackal replied, "I don't believe that Snake could ever be so covered by a stone that she could not rise. Unless I saw it with my two eyes, I wouldn't believe it. Take me to the place where you say it happened so I can see for myself whether it can possibly be true."
They went together to that place, and Jackal said, "Snake, lie down, and let yourself be covered." Snake did so, and the man covered her with the stone; and although she tried with all her strength Snake couldn't get up. Then the man wanted to let Snake go again, but Jackal stopped him saying, "Don't life the stone. She wanted to bite you, therefore, let her get up and lift it herself."
Then they both went away and left Snake there, just as before.

Roger D. Abrahams