Storytime!

An old Buddhist parable...

Two monks were strolling by a stream on their way home to the monastery. They were startled by the sound of a woman sobbing, sitting on the bank, wearing a bridal gown. Tears were flowing as she gazed across the water. She needed to cross the water to get to her wedding, but feared that doing so might ruin her beautiful handmade gown.

This group of monks were forbidden from ever touching a woman. But the one monk was filled with compassion for the young bride. Ignoring his sanction he lifted her on his shoulders and carried her across the stream, so she might continue her journey and fulfill her dreams. She smiled and thanked him endlessly for his service as he waded back across the stream toward the other monk.

His partner was beside himself. " How could you do that? he scolded." You know we are forbidden to touch a woman, much less carry one around."

The offending monk listened intently to the lecture that lasted all the way back to the monastery. The day's excitement caused him to drift off to sleep when he returned to his cell, until he was jostled awake in the middle of the night by his fellow monk.

Again he scolded him,"How could you carry that woman? Someone else could have helped her across the stream. You were a bad monk!"

Still in a daze from being awakened so suddenly the sleepy monk replied, "what woman?"

"Don't you remember? The bride you carried across the stream!"

"Oh, her" Laughed the sleepy monk. "I only carried her across that little stream, you carried her all the way back to the monastery."

God Bless!
Capt. Bill