" When God made an oyster, he guaranteed his absolute economic and social
security. He built the oyster a house, his shell, to shelter him and protect him from his enemies. When hungry, the oyster simply opens his shell and food rushes in for him. He has freedom from want.
But when God created the eagle He declared : " The blue sky is the limit -
build you own house. " So the eagle build on the highest mountain. Storm
threatens him every day. For food he flies through miles of rain and snow,
and wind. But think of it, the eagle, not the oyster, is the emblem of
America. "
-- Morris Mandel, The Jewish Press
They say that there are three kinds of people - those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who ask, what happened ? Knowing which kind you are in solves half of the problem. Some people succeed, some people just couldn't fit in, and some people are so confused that they know where they are going. It pays to listen to your heart. Which would you rather be ? Would like to be an oyster, endowed with blessings from above and live in a shell ? Or would you rather be an eagle, full of of color and adventure but unsure of the future ?
America is the symbol of endless opportunities. Its like an eagle that can soar way above everyone else. But like an eagle that has soared so high, it has very little time to nestle at its home and and just throw out his eaglets in the open so they could learn how to fly. Riding high in the skies, and seeing the world way up high, no way to go but down when they can no longer fly.
An oyster on the other hand simply watches the world go by. Its life may sound so boring, never gone to other places, at times hurting but deep inside it grows a pearl. A precious pearl, like a jewel , whose value appreciates even when the oyster which is its source has long been gone. The eagle might have soared to greater heights but an oyster produces a pearl that will adorn its future generations.
Western philosophy teaches that there is no such thing as an impossibility if you are willing to take the risks and put your heart into it. Happiness and success are measured in form of riches and fame and glory. Athletes aimed to be the greatest in their field. Businessmen competes against each other not only for the riches but to be called number one. Movie stars try to outshine each other, earning more than they could spend. Yet a lot of times, the happiness they seek in riches and fame eludes them.
Oriental philosophy on the other hand teaches how to be at peace with one's self. It doesn't teaches one to be rich but how to find happiness and enlightenment. It will not teach you how to fly, or soar through the skies, but will teach you how to develop the pearl inside you. It will not teach you rise up to the top but how to go down to other people's level so you could understand. It will not teach you what you can be but what you are and what you should be.
Here are some thoughts that can guide as by :
" There two ways to study butterflies ; chase them with nets and then inspect their dead bodies, or sit quietly in a garden and watch them dance among the flowers"
-- N. Bassman
" Success is getting what you want,
Happiness is liking what you get . " -- H. Jackson Brown
" How well we do is determined not just by our gifts and grit, but also by social
background, networks and family connections - powerfully - by how our
parents did. Life is not merely a foot race, but a relay race.
It matters a lot how much headway the previous runner has made when
hands you the baton. "
-- William Rasperry
" You can't have everything !
Where would you put it ? " -- Steven Wright
" Depend on the rabbit's for if you will,
but remember, it didn't work for the rabbit ! "
-- R. E. Shaw
No comments:
Post a Comment