Who Will You Follow

The power in stories is that you can use the same story to support many different ideas or concepts. You can also tell stories over and over because not only do we learn something different each time we hear a story, but stories ignite something amazing...connection, hope, peace, inspiration, pleasure...and so much more. I'm reminded this week of a story I have told many times in these podcasts. I truly believe it's one of the most powerful stories I tell and is absolutely the best story to introduce today's podcast. 

There was a monk who was walking down a path in the village when he spied a shiny object in the dirt. He picked it up, wiped it off, and knew he was holding a gem of great value. He put it in his satchel and continued walking. Soon he met a beggar who asked him for some bread as he was so hungry. The monk said, “Sure!” And he opened his satchel to fetch his loaf of bread. As he did that, the beggar spied the shining gem and asked if he could have that instead. The monk replied, “Sure!” And he gave the beggar the gem. They parted and, in the afternoon, the monk saw the beggar walking toward him holding out the gem intending to give it back. When they met, the monk asked, “What is it, don’t you want it anymore?” The beggar replied, “No, I want whatever you have that allowed you to give it away so freely, for that is what is most precious.”