An Eastern-style Fable:
The Man Who Had Everything
There was a man who had everything. He had a
house of gold with silver linings, which his parents
bequeathed to him. He was accustomed to taking dares
and always succeeded. It was through these short lived
relationships, in which he played "guts" and "chicken"
that he kept the house. Consequently, he became bored,
for there was nothing he thought he couldn't do...
Then his peers told him of a wise man who sent
people on interesting pilgrimages. Eagerly, our
champion went to seek him out, believing that this wise
man could bring an end to this most stifling ennui...
He found the sage in a simple shack on the other
side of town.
"Kind sir!", called the wealthy man, "I have heard
of you and would like to undertake a mission!"
The sage responded, "Are you accustomed to going
on missions?"
"Yes I am...", he said in an almost overly
enthusiastic manner.
"Very well. It will be your task to find
unfortunate people and enrich their lives."
"Should I give them money or remembrances?" Asked
the man hesitantly.
"No!" The sage rebuked. "You must give them
yourself."
"Okay," our champion said, "but it sounds silly to
me..." And with hesitance, he disappointedly went
off...
Weeks later, the rich man returned to the shack
where he found his guru. "Kind sir! Since I have left
home I have not been back. I have made so very many
wondrous new friends, who have shared with me
so very much."
"Do you miss home?" the sage inquired.
"Sometimes I think I do, but then it passes," the
young man intimated with this newly illuminated boyish
tone. Then he solemnly admonished, "I wanted to thank
you."
"For what?" The sage asked.
"For revealing to me that life could be so much
more fulfilling when I take the time to establish
relationships as they come." the young man said with
this new gleam about his eyes.
The sage then winked with a boyish smile, "When
you go home, it won't be the same place."