Short stories that contain wisdom and profound messages are always effective. It is ingenious how meaningful a story with only 150 words can be. They can provide an impetus to look at many things from a different perspective. Or they can even take you so far that you discover completely new paths for yourself.
Some of these stories are really short and simple. Some are even so simple that they could probably be found in children’s books somewhere. However, the power of the message remains the same.
Here now are 5 of our favorite “short stories”:
No time!
A man was walking in the forest. After a while he saw a woodcutter who was hurriedly and very strenuously cutting a log lying on the ground. He was groaning and sweating and seemed to be having a lot of trouble with his work.
The walker stepped a little closer to see why the work was so arduous for the other. He quickly realized the reason and said to the woodcutter, “Good day. I see that you are making your work quite unnecessarily difficult. Your saw is really dull – why don’t you sharpen it?”
The lumberjack didn’t even look up, but just hissed through his teeth, “No time! I have to saw!”
(from: “The Seven Ways of Effectiveness” by Stephen R. Covey)
The secret of satisfaction
Once upon a time, a few seekers came to an old Zen master.
“Master,” one of them asked “what do you do to be happy and content? I would also like to be as happy as you.”
The old man replied with a mild smile, “When I lie down, I lie down. When I get up, I get up. When I walk, I walk, and when I eat, I eat.”
The questioners looked a little embarrassed. One blurted out, “Please, don’t mock us. What you say, we do. We sleep, we eat, we leave. But we are not happy. So what is your secret?”
The same answer came, “When I lie down, I lie down. When I get up, I get up. When I walk, I walk, and when I eat, I eat.”
Looking at the restlessness and displeasure of the seekers, the master added after a while, “Surely you also lie and you also walk and you also eat. But while you are lying down, you are already thinking about getting up. While you are getting up, you are thinking about where you are going, and while you are walking, you are wondering what you are going to eat. So your thoughts are constantly elsewhere and not where you are. It is in the intersection of past and future that real life takes place. Let yourself be fully engaged in this unmeasurable moment and you will have the chance to be truly happy and content.”
(from a Zen Buddhist parable)
The Three Sieves
One day, the philosopher Socrates received a visit from a man who was eager to tell him some news.
“Listen, Socrates,” said the latter excitedly, “I must report to you that your friend…”
“Stop,” the philosopher interrupted him, “have you sifted what you want to tell me through the three sieves?”
“The three sieves?” repeated the other in amazement.
“Yes, my dear fellow. Let’s see if what you want to tell me has passed through the
passes through three sieves. The first sieve is the sieve of truth. Have you checked what you are going to tell me to see if it is true?
“”No, no, someone else told me about it, but…
“”All right. But surely you checked it with the second sieve. This is the sieve of goodness. If what you want to tell me is not necessarily true, is it at least good? “
The other hesitated. “No, actually it isn’t. On the contrary, it…
“”Well,” Socrates interrupted him another time, “then let’s take the third sieve and ask ourselves if it is necessary to tell me what seems to upset you so much
.
“
“Well,
not necessary just now, but…
“”Well,” Socrates replied, smiling, “if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor necessary, you’d better leave it alone and not burden yourself or me with it. “
Four candlesFour
candles were
burning on
the
Advent wreath
.
Outside there was snow and it was very quiet. So quiet that one could hear how the candles began to talk to each other.
The first candle sighed and said: “My name is PEACE. My light gives security, but there are so many wars in the world. People don’t want me.” Its light became smaller and smaller and finally faded away completely.
The second candle flickered and said, “My name is FAITH. But I feel superfluous. People don’t believe in anything anymore. What’s the point of my burning or not burning?” A breeze blew through the room, and the second candle went out.
Quietly and very timidly, the third candle spoke up: “My name is LOVE. I lack the strength to continue burning; egoism rules the world. People see only themselves, and they are not ready to make each other happy.” And with one last flare, this light was also extinguished.
Then a child came into the room. Astonished, he looked at the candles and said, “Why aren’t you burning? You are supposed to be burning, not out.” Saddened, he let his eyes wander over the three extinguished candles.
Then the fourth candle spoke up. It said, “Don’t be sad, my child. As long as I burn, we can light the other candles again and again.
With a small piece of wood, the child took light from this candle and brought peace, faith and love back to life
.
Two wolvesAn
old Indian was sitting around the campfire with his grandson. Night had fallen over the land and the fire crackled and crackled as the flames licked high into the sky.
After a long while of silence, the old man said to his grandson : “You know, sometimes I feel as if two wolves are fighting with each other in my heart. One of them is vengeful, aggressive and cruel.
The
other, on the other hand, is loving, gentle and compassionate.
“”Which of the two will win the battle for your heart?” asked the boy
.
“The wolf I feed.” replied the old man.
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