Hello there,
Before we begin tonight's story,
Let's take a moment to slow down,
To get comfortable and to gently let go of the day.
Take a deep breath in and slowly breathe out.
Let your shoulders drop,
Let your face soften,
Let your hands rest.
You've done enough today,
You are safe,
You are here and now it's time to rest.
Let your body feel heavy,
Unsupported,
Let your thoughts float by like clouds in the sky.
There's nothing to fix,
Nothing to worry about,
Just a soft story waiting for you.
This is a time for quiet,
A time for calm,
A time for peace.
Now,
As you listen to this gentle story,
You can close your eyes or keep them soft and half closed,
Whatever feels best.
Let the words wash over you like a soft breeze and if your mind drifts away,
That's okay,
This story is here to keep you company.
So now,
Let's begin our quiet tale.
Once,
Long ago,
A quiet man lived in a small hut at the edge of a village.
He lived a very simple life,
He wore the same old robe every day.
He ate only what people gave him,
Rice,
Fruit or bread.
He had no house of stone,
No money,
No big things,
But he was not sad.
In fact,
Many people said he was the happiest person they had ever met.
He smiled often,
He spoke softly,
He helped others without asking for anything,
And most of all,
He was peaceful inside.
The man's hut was made of wood and straw,
It was very small,
With only a mat to sleep on,
A bowl for food and a candle for light.
There was nothing worth stealing,
Or so he thought,
But hidden in a box under the floor was a shiny object,
A diamond.
Someone rich had once given it to him,
The quiet man had never used it,
He didn't care about diamonds or gold,
He only kept it because he didn't know what else to do with it.
One evening,
The man walked back to his hut,
After sitting near the river.
The sun had gone down,
The air was cool.
When he reached the door,
He saw it was open.
That was strange,
He always left it closed but never locked.
He had nothing to hide,
Nothing to fear.
He stepped inside,
The little hut was a mess,
His mat was tossed,
His bowl was broken,
His things were gone,
Someone had been there,
A thief,
But the box with the diamond was still there,
The thief had missed it.
Just then,
The quiet man heard a sound,
Footsteps behind him,
He turned slowly.
There,
In the doorway,
Stood a man with dirty clothes,
Tired eyes and shaking hands.
He looked hungry,
He looked scared.
He looked like someone who had suffered for a long,
Long time.
He had come back.
The quiet man didn't get angry,
He didn't raise his voice,
He didn't ask,
Why did you take my things?
Instead,
He bent down,
Opened the wooden box and took out the diamond.
He walked over to the thief,
With kind eyes and a gentle voice.
He placed the gem in the man's hands and said,
You came all this way,
Don't leave with nothing.
The man stared at the diamond,
Then at the monk.
He didn't understand,
Why would someone give something so valuable so easily?
His eyes filled with tears,
But he didn't say a word,
He turned and ran into the night.
Many seasons passed,
Spring came with soft flowers,
Summer came with warm air and singing birds,
Autumn came with falling leaves and orange skies,
Winter came with snow and silence.
The quiet man still lived in the little hut,
Still peaceful,
Still smiling,
Still helping others.
He had never thought again about the diamond.
One cool morning,
When the wind danced through the trees,
A traveler came up the path.
He was dressed simply,
His face looked calm,
But serious.
He bowed to the quiet man,
Do you remember me?
He asked.
The quiet man looked closely,
There was something familiar about the traveler's eyes,
Then the man opened a small cloth bag,
Inside was the diamond.
The quiet man smiled,
But said nothing,
The traveler sat down.
A long time ago,
He said,
I came here to steal from you.
I had no money,
I had no food,
I had no hope.
I wanted to take what I could and run.
But you didn't yell at me,
You didn't call the guards,
You gave me this diamond.
At first I kept it like a treasure,
I thought it would change my life,
But every time I looked at it,
I thought of you.
I didn't want a diamond,
I wanted to understand what made you so free.
The quiet man listened with soft eyes.
I've walked many roads,
The traveler said.
I worked,
Studied and sat quietly with my thoughts.
I've tried to find what you had,
I still don't know everything,
But I know something now.
The peace I wanted,
The freedom,
Doesn't come from holding on to things.
It comes from letting go of them.
He handed the diamond back.
The quiet man took it.
Then,
Without saying a word,
He walked to the river nearby.
The water was clear and cold,
Running over smooth stones.
He gently tossed the diamond into the river,
Then made a small splash and disappeared.
The traveler's eyes went wide.
Why did he throw it away?
The quiet man smiled and said.
Because now you are ready to live without it.
Real peace doesn't come from having things,
It comes from not needing them.
The best gifts are not diamonds or gold,
But kindness,
Understanding and letting go.
A long,
Long time ago,
There was an old farmer who lived in a small village.
He had a small piece of land,
A little house and one horse.
The horse helped him plow the fields and carry things.
It was his only animal,
And he took good care of it.
People in the village often said.
Your life is quiet,
But you are lucky to have that horse.
The farmer would smile gently and said.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
One day,
The horse ran away.
It jumped a fence and disappeared into the hills.
The neighbors came and said.
Oh no,
What bad luck,
Your only horse is gone.
But the farmer just said calmly.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
The neighbors were confused.
How could he not be upset?
A few days later,
The horse came back and it brought two wild horses with it.
Now,
The farmer had three horses.
The neighbors were amazed.
What great luck,
They said.
You had one horse,
Lost it,
And now you have three.
The farmer smiled again and said.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
Soon,
The farmer's son began training the wild horses.
He tried to ride one,
But the horse was strong and wild.
It bucked and the boy fell hard to the ground.
His leg broke.
Now he couldn't help on the farm.
The neighbors rushed over and said.
Oh no,
What terrible luck,
Your son broke his leg.
Again,
The farmer said softly.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
A week later,
Soldiers came to the village.
A war had started.
They were taking all the young men to go and fight.
But the farmer's son couldn't go.
His leg was broken.
The neighbors said.
What an amazing luck,
Your son doesn't have to go to war.
The farmer,
As always,
Said.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
Seasons passed.
Sometimes the crops grew well,
Sometimes they didn't.
Sometimes it rained too much,
Sometimes it didn't rain at all.
Sometimes things went right,
Sometimes they didn't.
But every time something happened,
The neighbors would run to the farmer with their opinions.
This is good,
This is bad,
This is lucky,
This is unfair.
And every time,
The old farmer would smile kindly and said.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
Life is always changing.
Sometimes things look good or bad right away.
But we don't know what will happen next.
Something bad might lead to something good.
And something good might bring something unexpected.
When we stop judging everything so quickly,
We find more peace.
We learn to wait and trust and breathe.
Because sometimes the wisest answer is.
Maybe so,
Maybe not.
A long,
Long time ago,
Two Zen monks were walking through a forest on their way back to their monastery.
As they approached a river,
They saw a young beautiful woman sitting by the shore,
Crying.
What is the matter?
Asked the older monk.
Sir,
She replied.
My mother is dying.
She's alone at home on the other side of the river,
And I cannot cross.
I have tried,
But the current is too strong,
And I will never make it without help.
I thought I would never see her alive again,
But now you're here and can help me cross.
The younger monk lamented.
We wish we could help you,
But the only way would be for one of us to carry you across our shoulders,
And our vows forbid any contact with the opposite sex.
We're very sorry.
I am sorry too,
The woman said,
Crying inconsolably.
The older monk kneeled and said to the woman,
Climb on.
She couldn't believe it,
But quickly gathered her bundle of clothes and mounted the monk's shoulders.
He crossed the river with some difficulty,
Followed by the younger monk.
Upon reaching the other shore,
The woman got down and approached to kiss the older monk's hands in gratitude.
It's all right,
The old monk said,
Withdrawing his hands.
Please,
Continue on your way.
The woman bowed humbly and gratefully,
Took her clothes and hurried down to the path to her village.
The monks continued their journey to the monastery in silence,
Still facing ten more hours of walking.
The younger monk was furious,
He didn't say anything,
But he was very angry inside.
A saint monk should not touch a woman,
And the older monk had not only touched her,
But he had carried her on his shoulders.
Upon arriving at the monastery,
As they entered,
The younger monk turned to the older monk and said,
I must tell the master,
I must report what happened,
It's forbidden.
What are you talking about?
What's forbidden?
The older monk replied.
Have you forgotten?
You carried a beautiful young woman on your shoulders,
The younger monk said,
Even angrier.
The old monk laughed and then responded,
Yes,
I carried her,
But I left her on the river bank many miles back,
However,
It seems you are still carrying her.
This story teaches us the importance of letting go of past grievances and not letting them burden our present lives.
Holding onto anger or resistance can weigh us down and prevent us from moving forward.
Embracing forgiveness and living in the present moment allows us to experience peace and freedom.
