The Illusions of Your Life

The story of the stonecutter

[Inspired by the Japanese fable of The Stonecutter in his Never Satisfied]

In the lap of rocky high mountains, there lived a stonecutter in a lone valley.

Everyday he went to a great rock beside a big mountain and cut out slabs for gravestones and houses. He was a careful workman with a plenty of customers. He understood well, the

kinds of stone needed for different purposes. His craft was tiring but appreciated.

Now, in the mountain dwelt a spirit. It was said that the spirit would now and then appear to men and would fulfill every wish of theirs. The stonecutter had never encountered the spirit, so he didn't believe the thought.

One day he went to deliver a huge order of stone slabs to the city. There he

saw a big house. One could say at the sight of the house that it was filled with numerous riches and antique possessions.

He felt to himself,"If only I was a rich man and could sleep in a bed with the luxury of silken curtains and golden tassels, how happy I should be!"

And he heard a voice,"Your wish is granted!"

The stonecutter looked around but could see nobody. Thinking it was all his fancy, he picked up his tools and headed home. When he reached the valley, he was shocked!

To his surprise, where once stood his wooden cottage, there was now a big beautiful mansion full of riches with silken curtains and luxuries just like he had imagined.

He bounced with joy and spent his days enjoying this new found lifestyle. In the midst of prosperity, his old life was soon forgotten.

One day when the stonecutter was loooking out of the window, he saw a carriage. It was carried on the shoulders of four men dressed in velvet. It was guarded by troops marching in rhythm. In the carriage sat a prince, his head held high which seemed to symbolize his power.

"If only I had such amount of power, I would be so happy." he felt.

And then the voice answered, "Your wish is granted."

And a prince he was. Soldiers dressed in gold and scarlet bore him along, a coveted umbrella was held over his head and the gazing youth made him sense his authority.

Soon it was the beginning of summer and as the days passed by, the sun

blazed more fiercely. One day the heat was so great that he could scarcely breathe.

He felt that the sun was more powerful than him. He wished to become the sun and the spirit answered his call.

The sun he was, proud in his power. He shot his beams, burnt up the grass in the fields and scorched the faces of all princes and paupers.

Soon a huge cloud covered his face. He could see the earth no more.

" Is the cloud mightier than me? If so, I want to be the cloud." And his wish was granted by the spirit. Now he was a cloud.

He poured torrential rains, the rivers overflowed and towns and villages were destroyed.

But only the great rock beside the mountain remained unmoved.

The cloud was amazed at the sight. "Oh, if only I were the rock! I would have been the mightiest." And soon he was turned into the rock.

Neither the rays, nor the rains caused any harm to the rock. He was indestructible. Well, he felt so.

One day he heard a strange noise at his feet. When he looked down to see what it could be, he saw a stonecutter. When hit hard with tools, a huge block of stone fell on the ground.

Then he cried in his wrath,"Is a mere child of earth more stronger than me! Be it. Now a man I shall be!"

And the voice answered,"You shall be a man ONCE MORE!"

And a man he was. He toiled again at his trade of stone cutting. His bed was hard, and food was scanty, but he had now learnt to be satisfied with it, and did not long to be something or someone else.

From then on, he heard the voice of the mountain spirit never again.

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You see, it is not important how much you have. More important is how you use what you have.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

There will always be someone you feel has more power or authority than you. At the same time, there will also be someone for whom you are the person in higher authority.

Compare with yourself, compete with yourself.

If you keep on comparing with others, you'll always be stuck in the thought: What if?

That will always lead to discontentment.

So next time whenever you feel like the stonecutter, here's to remember.

Don't ask yourself 'What if ?' , instead ask 'What for?'

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That's what I have for you today. Hope you find it helpful.

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*Image credits go to the respective owners.

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