A Vital Life Lesson

A Guru once told his three senior disciples that their final examination was approaching. He warned them to remain vigilant, because the test could come anytime and in any form.

A few days later, he asked them to cross a dense forest and reach a nearby village before sunrise. The three disciples set out on their journey.

As they were walking through the forest, they encountered a large pile of sharp thorns blocking the path.

The first disciple stepped back, gathered momentum, and leapt over the thorns with great effort, landing safely on the other side.

The second disciple looked around, climbed a nearby tree, carefully moved along a branch that stretched across the path, and jumped down beyond the thorns.

The third disciple quietly placed his travel bundle on the ground and began removing the thorns one by one from the path. The other two disciples watched him in disbelief. “What are you doing?” they asked impatiently. “Why waste time? We must reach the village before morning!”

But the third disciple calmly replied: “Others may pass through this forest late at night. They may not see these thorns in the darkness and could be hurt. I am clearing the path for them.” The other two shook their heads. “You are a fool,” they said, and continued on their way.

Just then, the Guru stepped out from behind a nearby tree where he had been silently observing everything. He looked at the third disciple and said: “You have passed the examination.” Then he added, “Your companions have failed. They will have to wait another year before they are ready.”

Let us not become so focused on our own goals that we forget the world around us. The beauty of life lies not merely in arriving at the destination, but in walking the journey with awareness, kindness, and a willingness to make the path easier for others.

𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚’𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝. 🌿✨

So Hum.