Many times I like to read old folklore stories, fables, poems, plays for sources of inspiration. My reasoning is that distilled wisdom from centuries of people are usually found therein. Aesops fables are my favorite. Who knows just how many generations passed these stories from one to the next, kept and preserved them. Funny how our culture spends so much energy listening to the voice of young, inexperienced people who have suddenly become famous. I think we would be less likely to experience costly cultural mistakes if we were to remember the lessons taught in ancient writings. Maybe these ancient writings that collect dust on our shelves, and get little attention on the Internet have something valuable to say?
This brings me to my pondering this morning. Sometimes were are intensely worried about what other people will say, or think. We want to please others, or to avoid scrutiny, or gain their favor in some way by our actions. When our commitments get tangled up with our perceptions of how others will judge, there is often times an unintended consequence. When you fail, it is really bad, because you are failing the perception that you have created. That is not easy to recover from. When you internal commitments are yours, and in your own way, you will get acknowledgement and occasional praise but it is important to recognize that most of the time a persons fleeting observation of what you are doing, and the advise they provide, may not be good for you at all.
So here is the text from one of those fables that teach this point:
A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: "You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?" So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: "See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides." So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: "Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along." Well, the Man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey with you and your hulking son?" The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned. "That will teach you," said an old man who had followed them: "Please all, and you will please none."
I supposed as we try to accomplish great things in our own lives, our first goal should be to achieve success and set our own internal mind at ease. Push ourselves to accomplish great things, in our own path. Eventually that will lead to something that will get noticed by others, but to go forth alone on just attempting to please another will most likely end up with your Donkey in a Ditch.
Guy Reams
365 Alumni
85 Days Left to 1st Marathon
