There
once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the
best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the
pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose
between them.
One
picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful
towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with
fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a
perfect picture of peace.
The
other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above
was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightening played.
Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not
look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the
waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a
mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry
water, sat the mother bird on her nest in perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize? The King chose the second picture. Do you know why?
‘Because’
explained the King, ‘peace does not mean to be in a place where there
is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of
all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real
meaning of peace.’
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