The Rich Man and the Zen Master

When you live a life filled with gratitude, your perspective changes. Here is another wonderful story for your consideration.

A rich man asked a Zen master to write something down that could encourage the prosperity of his family for years to come. It would be something that the family could cherish for generations. On a large piece of paper, the master wrote, “Father dies, son dies, grandson dies.”

The rich man became angry when he saw the master’s work. “I asked you to write something down that could bring happiness and prosperity to my family. Why do you give me something depressing like this?”

“If your son should die before you,” the master answered, “this would bring unbearable grief to your family. If your grandson should die before your son, this also would bring great sorrow. If your family, generation after generation, disappears in the order I have described, it will be the natural course of life. This is true happiness and prosperity.”

What was your reaction to the Monk’s writing? Was it the same as the Rich Man’s reaction? Did your thoughts go straight to ideas of morbid, horrible, depressing, or anger?

Or, do you live with gratitude in your heart and consider the ‘expected’ sequence and accept it?

My gratitude to Kevin Rohr for the use of his photo – http://www.sxc.hu/profile/kevinrohr

Be Well.
Paul.
The Gratitude Guru