Thought for Today

One cold and dark night, as a traveler was crossing a dry riverbed, a mysterious voice in the night ordered him to halt. “Get off your camel,” the voice said. So the man did. The voice then commanded, “Pick up some gravel from the riverbed.” The man picked up the gravel. Then the voice said, “Now mount and ride on. In the morning you’ll be both pleased and disappointed.” As the sun rose, the rider looked at what he had gathered and discovered that it was not a handful of pebbles as he had thought--but a handful of gleaming gems! As the voice had indicated he was both pleased and disappointed he had not collected more.

Like most fables, this story is based on human nature and has special meaning for those fortunate enough to live in this land of opportunity, where too many of us resemble the traveler who is both glad and sorry.

THE SIMPLE PATH

The fruit of silence is PRAYER.
The fruit of prayer is FAITH.
The fruit of faith is LOVE.
The fruit of love is SERVICE.
The fruit of service is PEACE.

by Mother Teresa