If you bear a grudge..."Isn't it about time..."

Read on. This story is told from a fabulous newsletter
Peter Thomson
Editor and Lightened Publisher
tgiMondays
Two monks and how one of them asked the other one a question.



It’s a question...



You and I need to ask ourselves on a regular basis –
otherwise we’ll be damaging our chances of success.



Here’s what happened:



One day two Eastern Monks set off on a journey to visit the inhabitants
of a local village. On the way they came to a wide stream. The stream whilst
not too deep nevertheless had a treacherous undercurrent.



At the side...



Of the stream sat a young woman with her head bowed and in obvious distress.



Now the ‘order’ to which the monks belonged forbade any contact with
women and so the younger of the two monks – turned his back on the
young women and ignored her.



The elder monk...



Turned to the young woman and asked her what her problem was.

She replied – she had to cross the river with the medicine she’d been
to collect for her mother.



The elder monk helped the young woman to her feet and hefted her onto his shoulders; then waded out into the stream and safely crossed to the other side.



He helped the young woman down and with grateful and continuous thanks she scurried on her way.



The younger monk...



Had crossed the stream behind his companion and they continued their journey. The younger monk, by the look on his face, was obviously in a sullen and angry mood and finally after nearly an hour had passed – like a champagne cork bursting from the bottle – he exploded the questions:



“How on earth could you do it? How could you talk to that woman when you know it’s forbidden? How could you touch her her, let alone carry her on your back across the river? How could you?”



The elder monk replied simply:



“My son her need was great and – I put her down an hour ago – isn’t it about time you did too?”



Ooooooooooohhhhh...



A little voice inside is demanding to know – if there are ‘somethings’ I should have put down long ago – rather than carrying them with me.



What could those...



Somethings be:

Past mistakes

Past relationships

Past hurts

Past – well I’m sure you know what’s appropriate for you – don’t you?

And so...



I think I’ll be thinking of this for a while just to make certain – I’ve definitely lightened my mental load. It has to be so much easier to travel this way – doesn’t it?



So the question is: “What do you need to put down?”



Will you ask it too?


Go on then...