There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the award for the best grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
So is with our lives... Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all...
More (reposted from swamibeyondananda thread as it appears to be meant for this one!) Thanks Wendy, this is great....
The king wanted to go fishing. He called on the royal weather forecaster and inquired as to the weather forecast for the next few hours. The weatherman assured him there was no chance of rain in the coming days. So the king went fishing with the queen.
On the way, he met a farmer on his donkey. Upon seeing the king the farmer said, “Your Majesty, you should return to the palace! In just a short time I expect a huge amount of rain to fall in this area”.
The king replied: “I hold the palace meteorologist in high regard. He is an extensively educated and experienced professional. And I pay him very high wages. He gave me a very different forecast. I trust him.”
So the king continued on his way. However, a short time later, a torrential rain fell from the sky. The king and queen were totally soaked, and their entourage chuckled upon seeing them in such a shameful condition.
Furious, the king returned to the palace and gave the order to behead the professional. Then he summoned the farmer and offered him the prestigious and high paying role of royal forecaster.
The farmer said, “Your Majesty, I do not know anything about forecasting. I obtain my information from my donkey. If I see my donkey’s ears drooping, it means with certainty that it will rain.”
So the king hired the donkey, and thus began the practice of hiring dumb asses to work in government and occupy its most influential positions. The custom is unbroken to this day.
I think this parable need an addendum:
So like the farmer's seeds, spread this story among all your friends and neighbors. Culture and watch the happiness grow. Win the prize for the best and most happy life grown.