CREATIVE SOLITUDE

According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activities. Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, ‘Now answer me the riddle, if you can. Tell me what the unstrung bow implies.’

The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. After a while Aesop explained, ‘If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.’

Like the bow people too need to relax. We all need to take time to rest. A certain amount of loosening, diversion and entertainment can equip us for greater action.

One of the greatest necessities in the world is to discover creative solitude.-Carl Sandburg

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WE ARE SPECIAL

One night a man came to our house and told me, “There is a family with eight children. They have not eaten for days,” I took some food and I went. When I finally came to the family, I saw the faces of those little children disfigured by hunger. There was no sorrow or sadness in their faces, just the deep pain of hunger. I gave the rice to the mother. She divided it in two, and went out, carrying half the rice with her. When she came back, I asked her, “Where did you go?” She gave me this simple answer, “To my neighbors-they are hungry also.” I was not surprised that she gave–because poor people are generous. But I was surprised that she knew they were hungry. As a rule, when we are suffering, we are so focused on ourselves we have no time for others. ANOTHER STORY TO COMPLETE THIS A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill? "Hands started going up. He said, "I ...

Story of Blaming

O nce a ship got caught in a violent storm. It wrecked and the waves cast it's wrecks on the sands of the shore. Among them was a sailor who lay senseless on the beach. When he came to his senses, he cursed the sea saying, "The sea is a cheat indeed. It attracts people with it's cool and calm waters and once they are in it's grip, it turns furious and destroys them." Hearing his reproach, the sea felt pinched. But it didn't want to trouble the sailor anymore. So, it came to the sailor in form of a damsel. "Who are you, O lovely lady?" asked the sailor. "I am the sea and am as lovely as you see me now. You are blaming me for the wreck but it isn't just." Surprised, the sailor asked, "Who is just then?" The sea urged, "The wreck was caused by the cruel winds that blew into gusts and gales over me and created stormy waves in my calm waters." The sailor had nothing to say except feeling sorry. Moral of ...

Story of Man in a Hole

A man was walking along and fell into such a deep hole that he could not get out. So he began to shout very loud for help. A learned professor came along and found him. He looked down into the hole and began to scold him: "How could you be so careless as to fall down there? You should be more careful. If you ever get out again, watch your step." And with that he walked away. Then a holy man came along. He looked down into the hole and told the man, "I'll reach down as far as I can and you reach up as far as you can. If I can grab your hand, I'll pull you out." But it did not work: the hole was too deep. So the holy man said he was sorry, and left the trapped man to his fate. Then Christ came along. He saw the man's problem, and without asking him any questions, he jumped down into the hole. Then he let the man climb up onto his shoulders, and even onto his outstretched arms. And the man got out. Moral of the story - This is known as being persona...

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