“Following all the rules leaves a completed checklist. Following your heart achieves a completed you.” ? Ray Davis
It once occurred to a certain king that if he always knew the right time to begin everything, if he knew who were the right people to listen to and whom to avoid, and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake. And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to anyone who could teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.
So learned and wise men and women from throughout the realm approached the king and offered their answers to the king’s questions, but each offered different replies. All of the answers being different, the king agreed with none of them and, hence, none were given claim to the reward. But still wishing to find the right answers to his questions, he decided to consult a hermit who was highly regarded by many for his wisdom.
The hermit lived in, and never ventured from, a wooded area near the king’s castle and he was known to never converse with anyone other than common folks. So the king put on simple clothes, and before reaching the hermit’s humble home, he dismounted his horse and, leaving his bodyguards behind, approached the hermit’s abode alone.
The king found the hermit digging a garden area in front of his hut. Seeing the king, the hermit greeted him and went on digging. He was aged, frail and weak, and each time he stuck his spade into the ground and turned the earth, he breathed heavily. The king said, “Greetings wise friend. I have come to ask for your answer to three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I give the most attention to? And, finally, what affairs are the most important and demand my first attention?
The hermit was clearly listening to the king, but offered no response. He just spat into his hands and continued digging.
“You are tired,” said the king; “let me have your spade so that I might dig a while and offer you a brief respite.”
“I thank you, kind fellow,” the hermit replied as he handed his shovel to the king and sat down on a shaded rock nearby.
When he had completed digging two planting beds, the king stopped and repeated his questions. The hermit again gave no answer but rose, stretched out his hand for the shovel, and said, “Now rest awhile – and let me work a bit.” But the king nodded “no,” and continued to dig.
One hour passed and then another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the king at last stuck the spade into the ground and said, ” I came to you, wise one, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, tell me so, and I will return to my home.”
“Here comes someone running,” said the hermit; “let us see who it is.”
The king turned round and saw a bearded man come running out of the woods. The man had his hands pressed against his side, and blood was flowing from under them. When he reached the king, he fell fainting onto the ground, moaning feebly. The king and the hermit unfastened the man’s clothing. There was a large wound in his side. The king washed it as best he could, and bandaged it with his handkerchief and a towel the hermit had. But the blood would not stop flowing, forcing the king to again and again wash and bandage the wound. When at last the blood stopped flowing, the man revived and asked for something to drink. The king fetched fresh water and gave it to him. Meanwhile the sun had set, and it began to become cool. So the king, with the hermit’s assistance, carried the wounded man into the hut and laid him on the bed. The man then closed his eyes and was quiet. The king suddenly felt quite tired from his journey from his castle and from all of the work he had done. He crouched down on the hermit’s earthen floor and was soon fast asleep. When he woke in the morning, it took a minute before he could remember where he was, or who was the strange bearded man lying on the bed, gazing intently at him.
“Forgive me!” said the bearded man in a weak voice. “I do not know you and I have nothing to forgive you for,” the king replied.
“You do not know me, but I know you. I am an enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you because you seized our family property and executed my brother.” I knew you had gone alone to see the hermit, and I resolved to kill you on your way back to your castle. But the day passed and you did not return. So I came out from my ambush hiding place and began looking for you, but I stumbled onto your bodyguards, they recognized me, set upon, and wounded me. I escaped, but would have bled to death had you not dressed my wounds and cared for me. I wished to kill you, and you saved my life. Now, if I live and if you wish it, I will serve you as your most faithful subject and will bid my sons and family to do the same. Please forgive me, Sire!
The king was very happy to make peace with his enemy so easily and to have also gained a loyal and dedicated friend, so he not only forgave him but said he would send his servants and his personal physician to attend him, and he promised to restore his family’s property.
Having taken leave of the wounded man, the king went outside of the hut and spied the hermit. Before leaving and returning to his castle, the king wished once more to beg an answer to the questions he had posed to him. The hermit was on his knees, sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before. The king approached him and said, “For the last time, I pray you answer my questions, oh wise one.”
“You have already been answered,” replied the hermit. “How answered? What do you mean?,” the king retorted.
“Do you not see?” the hermit replied. “If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and had not dug these beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good was your most important business. Afterward, when that man ran to us, the most important time was when you were attending him, for if you had not bound his wounds, he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him was your most important business. Remember then: there is only one time that is important – now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with anyone else; and the most important affair is to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!”
I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see.
I sought my God, but my God eluded me.
I sought my brother, and I found all three.
Source: The Moral Compass, by: William J. Bennett, (Simon & Schuster)
Have an AWE-full Weekend!
William J. “Bill” Bacque’