Today, I want to share with you an old Chinese story about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to a holy man and said:
"What prayers do you have for me? I am filled with resentment. I cannot accept this bereavement."
Instead of sending her away with pious words, or trying to reason with her, he gave her something to do. He said:
"Fetch me a mustard seed from a house that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life."
The woman set off at once in search of that magical mustard seed. She came first to a mansion, knocked at the door and said:
"I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me."
They told her,
"You've certainly come to the wrong place..."and they began to describe all the tragic things that had befallen them.
The woman said to herself,
"Who is better to help these unfortunate people than I?"
She stayed to comfort them, then she went on her search for a home that had never known sorrow. But wherever she turned, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune.
Ultimately, she became so involved in ministering to other people's grief that she forgot about the quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had in fact eased the sorrow of her life.
What do you make of this ancient story?
For me, Rabbi Marc Gafni in his book Soul Prints (which I highly recommend) is on target when he wrote:
"When we pursue happiness, it always runs away from us. Instead, we must pursue goals other than happiness, and as a natural by product of that pursuit we will be happy."
Joy, Serenity are available when we actively seek something else - they are not the primary goals.
With blessings and in friendship.
Richard
Jeff Francis will be in the pulpit on Sunday March 25.
