09 Febuary 2009

IF YOU HAVE MUCH GIVE OF YOUR WEALTH;

IF YOU HAVE LITTLE, GIVE OF YOUR HEART...

SO YOU ALL THE WORLD'S RICHES-SWANKY APARTMENT, WONDER WHEELS, FAT PAY CHECK. YOU ARE GETTING RICHER BY THE DAY BUT ARE YOU GETTING HAPPIER?ABSOLUTE HAPPINESS LIES IN SEEKING THE TREASURE WITHIN... THE WORLD IS FULL OF POOR PEOPLE SEEKING SHORT CUTS TO GETTING RICH OVERNITE. EVERY OTHER DAY, WE READ STORIES OR BANK ROBBERIES; PEOPLE ARE SO DESPERATE TO EARN Q QUICK BUCK! THE OTHERDAY, I CAME ACROSS AN ANCIENT SUFI STORY ABOUT ONE SUCH CHAP. HE HAD HEARD THE IF HE WENT TO A CERTAIN PLACE IN THE DESERT AT THE DAWN AND STOOD FACING A DISTANT MOUNTAIN, HIS SHADOW WOULD POINT TO A GREAT BURIED TREASURE. THE MAN LEFT HIS CABIN BEFORE THE FIRST LIGHT OF THE DAY AND , AT DAWN, STOOD AT THE DESIGNATED PLACE. HIS SHADOW SHOT OUT LONG AND THIN OVER THE SURFACE OF THE SAND. "HOW FORTUNATE," HE THOUGHT AS HE ENVISIONED HIMSELF WITH GREAT WEALTH. HE BEGAN DIGGIN FOR THE TREASURE. HE WAS SO INVOLVED THAT HE DIDN'T NOTICE THE SUN CLIMBING IN THE SKY AND SHORTENING HIS SHADOW.AFTER A WHOLE THE SUN WAS ALMOST HALF ITS EARLIER SIZE AND HE CAST NO SHADOW! OVERCOME BY WORRY, HE STATED CRYING AND THOUGHT THAT ALL HIS EFFORTS WENT WASTE SINCE THERE IS NO SIGN OF THE TREASURE. A SUFI MASTER WHO WAS PASSING BY SAW HIM AND SAID, "THE SHADOW IS POINTING TO THE TREASURE - IT'S WITHIN YOU." BUT NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE LUCKY TO MEET ENOUGH TO MEET SUCH A MASTER WHO CAN GUIDE THEM TOWARDS THE WEALTH WITHIN. TO BE RICH ONLY OUTWARLY IS A WASTE OF LIFE. IT IS A SORT OF PARALYSIS OF OUR VERY BEING BECAUSE GETTING LOST IN THE UNENDING, CEASELESS GREED OF MONEY, WE BECOME UTTERLY HOLLOW...