THE TRICK FROM THE OLD MONK

Pic.: Chetna Shetty

The question, “Is your glass half-empty or half-full?” has been so overused, that it doesn't look useful, anymore!

Along my path, if I come across one person who is a chronic cribber or a nasty manipulator, I, also, come across another who is empathetic and supportive.  In fact, if I patiently look along my path, I will find more friends than foes, more cheer-leaders than fear-leaders... But, like most others, I, too, tend to hear the deafening cries of those who boo... and think that’s how it is...

That’s not how it is!

For every half-empty glass, there is half which is full... And, that’s how it is!  I need to see that reality, immediately... Else, I should be prepared to spend my life-time worrying, cribbing, blaming... yes, like a loser in life!

Once, there lived a woman, who had two daughters. The elder daughter was married to an umbrella vendor, while the younger one to a noodle vendor. This woman worried all the time!

On a sunny day, she cried, “Oh, it is so sunny outside! No one will buy umbrellas... My elder daughter’s shop will have to be shut down... How will her home run?”

Then, on a rainy day, the woman would cry, “Oh, it is raining so badly outside! How can noodles be dried? If there are no noodles to sell, how can my young daughter’s home run?”

This way, all through the year – on a sunny day and a rainy day alike – our woman had something to worry about!

Then, one day, a monk happened to see her plight, and offered to help her. “Woman, there is a simple solution to your constant misery,” he told her, “All that you need to do is this: On a sunny day, you don’t think about your elder daughter’s umbrella-business. Instead, you think about the booming noodle-business of your younger daughter. Likewise, on a rainy day, you don’t think about your younger daughters’ noodle-business. Instead, you think about the roaring business of your elder-daughter. That’s how you will remain happy not only through the year, but, also, through out your life!”

It seems, the woman lived happily, ever after!!!

Well, this old-trick is, really, simple and still effective. Just as I should not look at the glass which half-empty but half-full, on each of my sunny day, I should not think about my umbrella-business but my noodle-one... Similarly, on a rainy day, I should not think about my noodle-business but umbrella-one...

Else, I should be prepared to spend my life-time worrying, cribbing, blaming... yes, like a loser in life!

GERALD D’CUNHA