A time of Silence.

Simple Silence.

The master was deeply concerned about four of his students. He wondered if there was any hope at all for them and asked the question of himself if they were good for each other?

They never seemed able to do anything he asked of them without it becoming a problem. Simple tasks, like washing the bowls after meal time resulted in bowls being damaged and other many mishaps occurring.

He had reached the point where he considered asking them to leave the monastery and find something other to do with their lives.

He then thought that he would give them one final opportunity to make amends and show that there was some hope for them.

He brought them into his quiet room and spoke with them telling them of his concerns. He could see that they were upset by what he was saying to them. He thought that this just might be a glimmer of hope.

He told them he was going to allow them to forgo all tasks for the following week, instead, they were to go to the meditation room each day and for the next week, they were to maintain total silence no matter what happened.

One the first day they gathered in the room as requested and they kept their silence. The meditation had started auspiciously, but when night came and the sun began to drop beneath the horizon the oil lamps began to grow dim.

One of the students just could not resist and turned and exclaimed to one of the house cleaners, "Fix those lamps."

The second student turned to face the noise in utter surprise and said to the first one, "We are not supposed to say a word."

From the far end of the room came the words, "You two are stupid, Why on earth did you talk?'

"I am the only one who has not talked." boasted the fourth student.

So ended the first day in utter failure by all four.

There is always some person who acts as though the rules are for everybody else and not for them. Those who read notices asking that certain codes and manners be followed in certain places and areas, but those rules are there for everybody else, not he or his.

Then there are those who think that it is their task in life to keep everybody else on the right tracks even when they themselves are incapable of doing so themselves.

Then there are those who take great pleasure in seeing others fall short of expectations and cannot resist showing how much better they are at acheiving, even when they have not.

Of course, there is always the boaster who is good at everything. He blows out his chest and lets the world know how clever he is and in so doing does nothing of value.

The person who without pride or boast or being just one of the sheep is the one who keeps his own counsel and achieves all that is expected and moves on to the next task or stage in the journey called life.

Have a good day and end in the knowledge that you alone know the journey you have made that day. The goals set and arrived at and that feeling of, it has been a good day.