|
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says: "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he eats for a lifetime."
Told in another way, the story goes that a man approached a fisherman and begged for a fish. The old man responded by saying, "Instead of giving you a fish and feeding you for one meal, wouldn’t it be better if I showed you how to fish? In that way, you could feed yourself ." The man replied that he had no interest in learning how to fish. The hunger that raged within his stomach well overpowered any desire to search for knowledge.
The same story is told in still another fashion. It takes place along a great river where a huge tree had fallen into the rushing waters. So large was this tree that a man could walk onto it and fish for his meal. And it came to pass one day that a great sage decided to sit upon this log to collect his ration of food for the day.
After fishing for a long period of time, the sage finally caught a fair-sized fish. With great satisfaction, he placed it carefully on the log beside him. A young man who was passing by with his wife and two children saw this and guardedly approached the sage. He asked for the fish explaining that his family was in need of food.
The old sage happily offered to teach the man how to catch his own fish, but he was quickly rebuked for his offer. The man was not interested in learning a skill. He merely wanted some food.
The old sage remained fast in his resolution to offer only his teachings and sent the man on his way. All the while, he continued to fish. Soon, the sage caught another larger fish. Seeing this, the young man hurried back onto the log. He beseeched the sage to give him a fish, as he surely had more than enough for himself.
The sage grew perplexed, wondering if it made sense to give this young man a fish. After all, he really did have more than enough.
As the sage contemplated this dilemma, a light appeared at the end of the fallen tree. At first, the greatness of this light frightened the sage for he had only heard of such manifestations in ancient stories handed down by his teachers. The light began to overwhelm him with an energy he had never before experienced. Filled with awe, the old sage heard a booming voice addressing him. The light spoke to him with such calm and beauty that the sage immediately knew he was in the presence of a great and wondrous teacher.
And the light spoke.
"Old sage, allow me to express a thought. If you choose to build upon it, it will change your life for all time to come.
"First, take from your pocket the sharpening file that you have carried with you for so long. While we speak, begin to sharpen the hook that you have tied to your line. Sharpen the hook like no other in the world. Make it so sharp that when the fish takes it in its mouth, it feels no pain. Then, when you are ready, pray with me the following:
I call on the Creator to help me search out the oldest fish in the river that is ready to leave this dimension, for it has experienced all it came to experience. In that Light, guide it to my line. Knowing the fish’s life plan is complete and that I have sharpened my hook so well, we join together to fulfill our journeys.
When the light finished speaking, the sage cast his newly sharpened hook into the water. Moments later, he caught a fish of the greatest proportions. But before the old sage could begin to celebrate his newfound clarity, the light spoke again.
"If you look on the shore, you will find a string of lighter weight. If you attach your hook to this lighter string, the hook will reach deeper parts of the river. This will allow you to catch even larger fish."
The old sage did as the light suggested. His efforts were rewarded again by landing a fish ever so large. Then another fish, and yet another.
He thought this was as good as it might get, until the light offered still more guidance. The light told him to concentrate on his wrist. By flexing his wrist more when casting his line, he could send the hook out even farther.
All too soon, the pile of fish was so large that the sage felt fulfilled in his accomplishment. He set aside the fish for his meals that day. The others, he released back in the water.
Then the sage recalled the young man who had asked for a fish. He noticed that the young man was on the shore not far away. Surely, he thought, the man will ask for a fish again.
To his wonderment, he saw that the young man was busily sharpening his own hook.
The Moral
The moral, my friends, is to never teach another person something that he or she already knows on some level. Focus instead on sharpening your own hook. By perfecting the art of what you already know, you will most certainly enhance the world in your own way.
Be not the teacher, but the student. Rather than tell others what to do, focus on perfecting your own journey. In this way, you remain the consummate learner. As you do so, all those around you who seek wisdom will experience the same learning. They will be inspired to perfect their own journeys.
So concentrate solely on sharpening your own hook. Sharpen it so well that those needing the light of knowledge on their path will enter into your light. They will learn from one who chooses to learn through experience.
Apply this in your own life, and your knowingness is truly awakened.
Author's Insights:
On many occasions, Kirael has made it clear to me that he is not my teacher. Instead, he is like the sage that offers guidance to help me sharpen my hook. He guides me to find my answers. My answers are my own.
Like the young man begging for a fish, I now understand that there are no shortcuts. In order to complete any of life's lessons, they need to be experienced to the fullest. In that way, I have learned to perfect my own journey.
And that is how a fish story changed my life. |
