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A Story for the Hard Times

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 711

I really liked that nonic..........makes you think. Brent

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2508

Working on it..

Love your post..

Red..

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 880

Vincenza:

Hope all is well for you...This site has always been a blessing for me...

stay well

nonic

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13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 880

working on it:

I like that one...Food of is important in this world, both the material kind and the food of the spirit...

Keep up your good work many people are helped by your enthusiasm for doing good things for yourself...

stay well

nonic

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13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1853

Hi nonic & Working On It,

Thanks for sharing - need these reminders once in awhile!

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1140

I heard one that might be related. It was about a Buddhist master and some of his students out on a boat. Shortly before the sun sets, a storm starts to brew. By sunset, the boat is being tossed about, lightening and thunder are overhead and all around them, etc. The students, feeling desperate after trying to meditate and stay calm, finally cry out, "Everything is out of control. We will most likely perish out here. Why are you so calm? What should we do?"

The master replies, "It's dinnertime. Let's eat."

...Only thing I can figure is that the Buddhists, like me, must like their food a lot.

Nice to know I'm doing something right, huh?

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13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 880

There was a man who was being chased by a tiger. The tiger was hot on his heels and all hope seemed lost. Suddenly the man ran out of running room as a cliff appeared before him. Having no other options the man launched himself over the cliff and fell rag-doll like toward the bottom of the precipice. Halfway down he reached out and grabbed a branch that was growing out of the side of the earth. As he dangled in the air, he noticed that a mouse had been gnawing on the branch and he knew that his weight would soon complete the job the rodent had begun...In his panic he looked toward the base of the cliff and despaired as he saw another tiger waiting for him below...

Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a bright red strawberry protruding from the branch to which he clung. The man plucked the fruit and ate it and it was the best strawberry he ever tasted.

Yes that's it...I know the ending on the face of it seems less than satisfying. It is like the punch line that never comes... But the story does have a meaning (many meanings actually)...The beauty of the story is in its simplicity and the meaning one draws from it says a great deal about the interpreter...

I heard this story for the first time when I was very young and I too was a bit disappointed in the telling. I was waiting for the punch line. But the guy who told me the story just smiled at me and said "yep that's it"...It took me a great many years to finally get what he was trying to tell me...At least I got my interpretation of the story and I believe that is the point that the author meant to make.

Based on when and where I heard this, the story must be of either Vietnamese, Cambodian or Laotian origin. I suspect it does derive from the Buddhist tradition...In any case the simplicity of its structure belies the beauty hidden within...

stay well

nonic

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A Story for the Hard Times