One day a traveller was walking along a road on his journey from
one village to another. As he walked he noticed a monk tending the ground in
the fields beside the road.
The monk said "Good day" to the
traveller, and the traveller nodded to the monk. The traveller then turned to
the monk and said "Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a question?".
"Not at all," replied the monk.
"I am travelling from the village in the mountains to
the village in the valley and I was wondering if you knew what it is like in
the village in the valley?"
"Tell me," said the monk, "What was your
experience of the village in the mountains?"
"Dreadful," replied the traveller, "to be
honest I am glad to be away from there. I found the people most unwelcoming.
When I first arrived I was greeted coldly. I was never made to feel part of the
village no matter how hard I tried. The villagers keep very much to themselves,
they don't take kindly to strangers. So tell me, what can I expect in the
village in the valley?"
"I am sorry to tell you," said the monk, "but
I think your experience will be much the same there".
The traveller hung his head despondently and walked on.
A while later another traveller was journeying down the same
road and he also came upon the monk.
"I'm going to the village in the valley," said the
second traveller, "Do you know what it is like?"
"I do," replied the monk "But first tell me -
where have you come from?"
"I've come from the village in the mountains."
"And how was that?"
"It was a wonderful experience. I would have stayed if
I could but I am committed to travelling on. I felt as though I was a member of
the family in the village. The elders gave me much advice, the children laughed
and joked with me and people were generally kind and generous. I am sad to have
left there. It will always hold special memories for me. And what of the
village in the valley?" he asked again.
"I think you will find it much the same" replied
the monk, "Good day to you".
What is the lesson learned?
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