Once upon a time there was a rich man, a wealthy man. He had more than enough of everything. He had a big family. Every daughter, every son had their own mansion with servants and stuff galore. They took turns partying in each other's homes. No one had it better than them.
Unlike his offspring however, the man was a Zen master. He knew that all the stuff meant nothing, that to cling to the stuff was like clinging to turds rather than opening to the life-giving flow of the nutrients of life's food.
He lost everything. His children died. His enemies stole all his stuff. Earthquakes, floods, and fire destroyed his properties. Then his body was afflicted with running sores. He sat in the ashes of his former life.
His friends (who still had stuff) came to give him advice. You know. The usual. Like "Buck up" or "Join my church" or "Here is the number of my therapist" or "Let's go get drunk and raise hell" or "Curse God and die." No doubt you yourself have a few pieces of advice for him, said Story Teller.
Job, the guy's name, listened patiently to each of his friend's long-winded advice. He knew they meant well, but none of it touched him. Each of them left and went back to their well-ordered lives, their entertainment centers and social obligations, leaving him alone sitting in the ruins of nothingness.
He finally raised his arms to the heavens and exclaimed: "What The Fuck?" It was his darkest hour. Yet with the exclamation, the beginning of new life stirring.
A voice came from Heaven: "Who the hell are you to be asking What the fuck? You don't know jack shit. I not only know jack shit. I created him."
Job was taken aback. He then began laughing. "You are right," he said. "I have been clinging to the turd and ignoring the nutrients. The turd passes on back into the ground while the nutrients are ever-flowing."
"I think you know jack shit after all," said the voice from Heaven.
Job, still laughing, got up out of his ash heap and went on his way.
It is said that eventually he had more stuff than ever before but he clung to none of it, laughing and content with embodying the nutrients of Life.
Unlike his offspring however, the man was a Zen master. He knew that all the stuff meant nothing, that to cling to the stuff was like clinging to turds rather than opening to the life-giving flow of the nutrients of life's food.
He lost everything. His children died. His enemies stole all his stuff. Earthquakes, floods, and fire destroyed his properties. Then his body was afflicted with running sores. He sat in the ashes of his former life.
His friends (who still had stuff) came to give him advice. You know. The usual. Like "Buck up" or "Join my church" or "Here is the number of my therapist" or "Let's go get drunk and raise hell" or "Curse God and die." No doubt you yourself have a few pieces of advice for him, said Story Teller.
Job, the guy's name, listened patiently to each of his friend's long-winded advice. He knew they meant well, but none of it touched him. Each of them left and went back to their well-ordered lives, their entertainment centers and social obligations, leaving him alone sitting in the ruins of nothingness.
He finally raised his arms to the heavens and exclaimed: "What The Fuck?" It was his darkest hour. Yet with the exclamation, the beginning of new life stirring.
A voice came from Heaven: "Who the hell are you to be asking What the fuck? You don't know jack shit. I not only know jack shit. I created him."
Job was taken aback. He then began laughing. "You are right," he said. "I have been clinging to the turd and ignoring the nutrients. The turd passes on back into the ground while the nutrients are ever-flowing."
"I think you know jack shit after all," said the voice from Heaven.
Job, still laughing, got up out of his ash heap and went on his way.
It is said that eventually he had more stuff than ever before but he clung to none of it, laughing and content with embodying the nutrients of Life.
I love this, George!
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