This story was told to me as a joke but, the power of its meaning
is something many of us have taken for granted as we go through
life from one problem to another and never being satisfied.
Many years ago a young man who had moved to the Big City to pursue
his goals of becoming wealthy, decided that it was time to visit
his aging father in his home town. It had been five years since
he last saw him, so this was a very important trip. Not only that
but he was on the verge of something Great and he wanted to tell
his father in person.
Luckily a friend was passing through his home town and he sent
the message of his trip to his father. You see, his father was too
poor for a phone and couldn't read. So, it was very difficult for
him to contact his father. The young man was just getting started
so purchasing a train ticket was a HUGE deal, financially for him
at this time. He did purchase the ticket however and headed on the
long voyage home.
As he sat in his cabin on the train, he became pretty friendly
with the other people he was sharing the space with on the trip.
He told them of his voyage to see his father and how he hadn’t
seen him in five years since he left for the city.
They were expressing their joy and best wishes for his trip, when
all of a sudden the conductor announced that they would only pause
for a few seconds at the young man’s stop, not letting anyone
off and proceed on to the next stop since the train was behind schedule
and some very important people had to get off there.
The young man’s heart sank into his stomach because he realized
that he could only afford to go straight back to the city and he
wouldn’t get to stay with his father.
He sat and thought very carefully, with the focus of a surgeon about
what to do.
Suddenly he sat up with a glowing smile on his face as though the
world had been lifted from his shoulders.
When the train arrived at the station, the young man stuck his
head out of the window and screamed to his father to come closer.
He then said to his father, “Father the train is not going
to stop, but I need to know; Have you been taking a crap?”
His father looked up at him with a smile of content and said, “Yes
son, yes I have.”
The train then took off and he sat down with a look of relief and
feeling pretty good about the situation. The people on the train
were sitting, still shocked by his question. They asked, “Why,
why would you ask such a question after you haven’t seen your
father in FIVE years?
The young man smiled and said, “Well, if he’s been
taking a crap then he’s had food and if, he’s had food,
he has money to buy that food, then everything is okay for now.
Maybe not perfect, but okay for now!”
They smiled and nodded, since they finally understood.
Although money for food is something most of us take for granted,
remember it and appreciate it for what it is.
Too often we are distracted by the things that make us unhappy
and problems or obstacles we have, that we never celebrate the small
things in life. Cumulatively such small treasures, gives us immense
power and success if only we recognize them for what they are.
Think about the things that you haven’t celebrated and what they
mean to you. Write them down in a journal. It doesn’t matter what it
is. Whether you saved $1 more, gave $1 more or learned something
new.
How do those things make you feel?
Remember that feeling every time things get rough. There’s
power in it!
|
