In the Stillness ….

Life is busy.  There were three men and each of them had a different mission in life: the first man decided to be a peacemaker; the second man chose to feed the hungry people; and the third man devoted himself to bring the drinking water to those who need it.  So, the three men journeyed on separate paths.  

After a few years of separation, the first man and the second man had a reunion.  The first man looked disheartened and said, “I had worked so hard, but I could not make all my neighbors live peacefully with one another.”  The second man was very frustrated and said, “I had fed lots of hungry people in many places, but their numbers kept growing.”

As they continued to talk and walk together, they crossed the path of the third man.  They were happy to see each other again.  The first man said to the third man, “Tell us why you look so joyful!”  The third man stayed quiet for awhile and then picked up a bucket of water and asked them to pour out some of the water into a basin.  Soon after they poured out the water into the basin, the water stirred.  Then the third man asked them, “What do you see?”  The other two men said, “Nothing.”  After the water had become still, he asked them again to look into the water, “What do you see?”  Every one of them said, “I see myself distinctly.” 

The third man said, “One day, I was delivering a bowl of water to an old lady’s home.   I waited for a long time, but she didn’t come out of her house.  I decided to sit down and put the bowl of water on the floor.  Later, I felt thirsty and I looked into the water.   The water was clear and still.  I was surprised to see myself distinctly.  I looked pale and withered.  Finally, two hands reached out to me.  The old woman appeared and brought an empty cup.  She dipped the cup into the water and gave me a drink.  I was refreshed and restored.”