An old story tells of an unhappy and discontented stonecutter. He one day came
upon a merchant and was awe-struck by all of the marvelous goods the man had for
sale. "I wish I were a merchant," said the stonecutter and, quite amazingly, his
wish was granted.
Not long afterward he saw a parade pass his little shop. Spying a prince dressed
in splendor such as he had never before seen, he said, "I wish I were a prince."
And he became one.
But it wasn't too many days later that he stepped outside and felt the
discomfort of the hot summer sun beating down upon his head. "Even a prince
cannot stay cool in the sun," he said. "I wish I were the sun." This wish, too,
was granted.
He was happy being the sun until, one day, a cloud came between him and the
earth. "That cloud over-shadows me," he said. "I wish I were a cloud."
Again his wish was granted and he was happy -- until he came to a mountain which
he could not rise above. "This mountain is greater than I," he said. "I wish I
were a mountain."
As a tall and mighty mountain he looked down upon the affairs of humans and felt
that he was finally happy. But one day a stonecutter climbed up his side and
chipped away at rock and there was nothing he could do about it. "That little
man is more powerful than I," the mountain said. "I wish I were a stonecutter."
So the circle was completed and now the stonecutter KNEW that he would always be
happy just being himself. He would never dress like a prince, shine like the sun
nor rise as tall as a mountain, but he was happy to be who he was.
A sure way to unhappiness is to compare yourself with others. Like someone aptly
said, "The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but it still has
to be mowed." You are who you are and that is to be celebrated!
© 2000 Steve Goodier
Thanks to Life Support
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