The Miser

The Miser, does that ring a bell for anyone? Hint: Think back to childhood. It's one of Aesop's famous collection of fables which you may have heard of back in the day.

Fables are so fun to read and best of all, they are not just for children. They provide a wonderful teaching tool for all ages. There's a magic about them that brings to light valuable life lessons that are hidden in each one. Their message is a simple one, yet so profound. I absolutely love these short, truth-telling, attention grabbing stories that have stood the test of time. In fact, I love them so much, I plan to share different ones with you every now and again.

Here's one for your journey. As you read, think of how the message resonates with you. Remember, fables point out character flaws which we ALL have. If this happens to be one of yours, then see it as an opportunity for learning and a first step towards change.

The Story: A Miser had buried his gold in a secret place in his garden. Every day he went to the spot, dug up the treasure and counted it piece by piece to make sure it was all there. He made so many trips that a Thief, who had been observing him, guessed what it was the Miser had hidden, and one night quietly dug up the treasure and made off with it.
When the Miser discovered his loss, he was overcome with grief and despair. He groaned and cried and tore his hair.
A passerby heard his cries and asked what had happened.
"My gold! O my gold!" cried the Miser, wildly, "someone has robbed me!"
"Your gold! There in that hole? Why did you put it there? Why did you not keep it in the house where you could easily get it when you had to buy things?"
"Buy!" screamed the Miser angrily. "Why, I never touched the gold. I couldn't think of spending any of it."
The stranger picked up a large stone and threw it into the hole.
"If that is the case," he said, "cover up that stone. It is worth just as much to you as the treasure you lost!"

                   "A possession is worth no more than the use we make of it."

The Lesson: What if, we replace the word "possession" for skills, talents, natural gifts, love or anything else we value. Take a moment if you will to reflect and see what comes up for you. Have you ever hidden something that was special to you? Are you holding out on someone or something that is precious to you? If so, how does that make you feel? As I see it, anything that we value, if neglected becomes meaningless. I understand we sometimes lose sight of what we have and how to make the best use of it. It happens. Just know, you can always make a change. I've learned that life is to be lived and the best way to do this is by bringing out and sharing our hidden treasures for the greater good. Remember, it's about what we do with what we have that matters most. Hope you can take something from this lesson.

                               What do you possess? How are you using it?


Stay tuned for more: Fable of the Day!

Enjoy!

Partially adapted from http://www.read.gov/aesop/112.html

The Pie Principle About People

"1/4 of all people will like me no matter what I do, 1/4 will dislike me no matter what I do, and 1/2 of the people in the world won't care one way or the other no matter what I do."
- Author Unknown

The above is an excerpt of an article written by someone from the Cape May Stage many years ago. As it turns out, I was vacationing in Cape May, New Jersey when I came across this write-up. As I remember, much of the article had been torn out and what remained were these words that I have since then referred to as the pie principle about people.

You can't please everybody, is what this basic principle is all about. Simple enough to understand, yet so challenging to live from this truth and put into daily practice. We tend to get hung up on others' opinion of us instead of paying attention to what we genuinely want to do and allowing ourselves to be okay with it.

I must tell you that I have carried around this passage with me ever since that day and have over the years used this perspective about people to lift the burden of wanting approval from others, or fretting about not having it. It helps to call these words into use as a way to curb our approval-seeking behavior and tendency to over-think how others are going to see us.

It's human nature to want to be liked, but many times our desire for approval results in sacrificing what's most important: The freedom to be who we truly are. We must be willing to express what we really mean; do what we believe is right for us, and live the life that we want to lead regardless of how others are going to react to it. The one caveat worth mentioning is that in choosing to do what feels right, we must always consider the consequences of our actions and take responsibility for them.

Letting go of wanting and or needing approval from others begins with practicing good self-awareness which in most cases can mark the beginning of change. It is not enough to admit that we are good enough. We must come to accept that we are.

How do we come to accept ourselves? First and foremost, it is a choice. Secondly, it's a daily practice of paying attention to our inner self. Most importantly, we must learn to give ourselves that which we are seeking from others which for many of us is love, acceptance, and approval. Be prepared to make lots of mistakes and bad decisions along the way. But rest assure that for every imperfect moment is a teaching one waiting to come out.

It's been decades since that day when I discovered the pie principle about people, but I can still recall vividly my initial reaction of relief realizing that living up to other people's expectations can be a trap that takes us away from our authentic self.

As the saying goes, just be yourself, everyone else is taken. What you stand to gain is a deep sense of peace and confidence that no one else can give you but yourself.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

I wish you peace, freedom and a healthy dose of self-appreciation.

Cheers!

















































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