Lately I have been thinking a lot about criticisms and feedback. Hearing my friends complain and vent out about their life’s struggles and challenges got me thinking about my own life’s struggles too. And I am ashamed to admit I too at times vented out in frustration and fatigue due to all the expectations and pressure that has been laid on my feeble shoulders lately. Lately, I find myself tiring out easily, losing focus and just not being able to be productive. I used to be the type with the “can-do” attitude which have helped me incredibly along the way. But for some strange reason I tire out more easily these days, especially when I hear other people complaining to me about their issues. Not that I do not want to hear or I am put off by the constant complaining – in fact most of their complains are actually valid – but for some reason….for some strange reason it just tires my soul.
It’s as though we are never satisfied with anything or that we are always looking at our faults, our imperfections, rather than appreciating the goodness and blessings we have. We want a better job, more prestige, a better gadget, a better spouse, more money, a fancier car and the list goes on and on and on. We are just never contended with what we have. Some people have even admitted to me that “it’s a fact of life” and that we will never be satisfied. And so we grumble and we have no sense of real inner peace thanks to these “desires” and wants.
It was then I thought about this story which I had heard many years ago through one of those chain-mails which were a big time thing back then. It’s a story of two boys and it struck me really hard. At the end of the day, its how we look at life, whether it’s half full or half empty. And I know some people will dismiss it for blind optimism or immaturity but the older I get, the more I believe this to be true.
And so the story goes:
Once upon a time there were two 8-year old twin boys – completely identical in every way except one. THEIR ATTITUDES! One of the boys was always upbeat…always smiling…always cheerful. To him, the cup was always half-full and there was always a silver lining in every situation.
But the other boy was quite the opposite. Seldom would you find him in a good mood. To him, the cup was always half-empty and there was never a silver lining. He was always worried. Always depressed. Always down on life.
Their parents began to worry about these unhealthy extremes in their boys. One boy took life way too seriously and had too much anxiety. The boy was the polar opposite. Life was a party for him. He needed to be brought down to earth a little bit. So the parents came up with a plan. For their 9thbirthday, they were determined to find a way to balance their children out.
First they went to a toy store and spent hundreds of dollars on all the latest toys, games and electronics for their depressed son. They filled his room with these items while he was out at school and thought to themselves “When he comes home and sees all these toys, that’ll cheer him up a little.”
For the other son, they filled his room with something different…much different…HORSE MANURE! Yep, that’s right. 30 cubic yards of horse manure, fresh from the stables!
They had the perfect plan…or so they thought.
The boys came home from school. They were told that they each have a birthday surprise in their rooms and sent to go see what it would be. The parents left the children in their rooms for a few minutes and then went in to see the results.
First they went to the boy who received all the toys. To their surprise, they walked in and the boy was crying. “What happened?” they said.
“I wanted the blue racing car, not the red one. And this video game isn’t the newest one – there’s a newer one that just came out last week. And this watch is a digital one but I’m not a baby anymore and I wanted a watch like daddy’s. THIS IS THE WORST BIRTHDAY EVER!”
Bewildered and frustrated, the parents walked out of the room. They couldn’t believe that he was still sad. Then they went to see their other son – fully expecting to find him upset as well.
But when they went in they couldn’t find their son. All they saw was the big pile of manure and that’s it. They called out for him and suddenly they see him pop out from the midst of the manure – his entire body covered with manure, yet somehow displaying the biggest smile on his face.
“Mom! Dad! Thank you SO MUCH! This is the best present ever!”
“Huh?” asked the very confused set of parents.
“You guys know that I always wanted a pony. That’s been my dream for years. And I finally got one. And not just any pony, but there must be a super-duper, colossal-size pony in here somewhere. LOOK AT ALL THE POOP HE LEFT!”
