THE COMPARISON ROBS US OF OUR HAPPINESS







Pic.: Bhupen Kalyani



Last evening, Vikas, one of the participants of our on-going Public-speaking course, told us a beautiful story.

Once, in a forest, there lived a crow. He had no worries or complaints and was fully content in life. “I am the happiest bird in this forest,” he kept reminding himself.

And, then, one day, the crow saw a swan. “She is so white and beautiful; and I am so black and ugly,” the crow was now lamenting. With his saddened heart, he said to the swan, “You have been blessed with such whiteness, beauty and grace, that you must be the happiest bird in this forest.”


“My friend, that’s how I would think for a long time;” the swan responded, “Then, one day, I saw a beautiful parrot, and everything changed inside me. The parrot had two colors; he was gifted to speak; humans loved to take him home and raise him like one of their own… So, I think, it is not me, but the parrot who is the happiest bird in this forest.”


The crow, thus, went to meet the parrot. “O beautiful parrot, how blessed you are; God has dressed you with two colors; He has given you the gift of speech, too. You are the darling of humans,” the crow kept praising the parrot. He added, “So, you must be the happiest bird in our forest.”


“You think so, my friend? The parrot was quick to comment.  “Now listen,” he continued, “I, always, thought I was the happiest bird in the forest until, one day, I saw the peacock. He was adorned with so many colors; he was gifted with the talent to dance and enchant his beholders… So, I, now, think that I am not the happiest bird in our forest; the peacock is!”


Finally, the crow decided to meet the peacock in the nearby zoo. Scores of people had gathered around the peacock’s cage to behold his beauty and get enchanted by his glorious dance. Once everyone had left the place, the crow expressed his feelings, “O peacock, how adorned you are… You can seduce scores of admirers with your charm and dance… So, you must be the happiest bird in this forest!”


“Not at all, my dear crow, not at all,” the peacock had his explanation, “I would, always, be very proud of my charm. But, this very charm turned out to be my biggest curse… Because of my great beauty, they have entrapped me in this cage, robbed me of my freedom… I feel like a slave.”  Then, he concluded, “My friend, look around, here, in this zoo. They have enslaved each and every bird in a cage… except a crow. Crow is the only bird blessed with complete freedom. Hence, trust me, you are the happiest bird in our forest.” 


Comparison is man’s biggest curse, too. Just as the crow needed a swan, a parrot and a peacock to convey him this truth, we humans need a crow to convey it to us.


GERALD D'CUNHA

Comments

vishal sharma said…
Very inspiring post. Thanx. Beautiful picture by Bhupen, too. Keep it up.
December 29, 2014 at 1:35 PM
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