Life: Enjoy Every Moment…
“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want. There is no need to run outside to see better. Nor to peer from a window. Rather abide at the center of your being; for the more you leave it, the less you learn. Search your heart and see the way to do is … to be.” Lao Tzu
Life: Enjoy Every Moment ... fish, rest, eat... it's your life.
Whenever we are around energized, upbeat people, we can feel the shift in the room. Their enthusiasm lifts us up and makes us believe, albeit for a moment, that anything everything is possible. Sure, this is not everyone’s state and even the most cheerful have their off days. But if we stop and wonder: How the heck did they get to be so cheerful? I would say, ask them! One lesson I’ve learned is that it takes more energy to stay angry and less to crack a smile.
Everyday, we wake up, get out of bed and perform our daily rituals before we start our day. Even with the best intentions and a well oiled plan of action, we don’t always know how our day will truly turn out; given the surprises that crop up now and again. However, we can choose our mood. We can choose our response to events, our attitude, and how we wish to spend our time. Below is a modified version of a story by Author Unknown. I read it on facebook via GlobalBeat; a great site.
The Fisherman‘s Teaching. Author Unknown
Once upon a time, a fisherman was sitting near the seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking his beedi. Suddenly, a rich businessman passing by approached him and inquired why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this, the fisherman replied that he had caught enough fish for the day.
Hearing his blase reply, the rich man got angry and said: Why don’t you catch more fish instead of sitting in the shadow wasting your time? A verbal exchange ensued
Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fish?
Businessman: You could catch more fish, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fish and earn even more money.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully.
Fisherman: What do you think I’m doing right now?
Businessman: ….. SILENCE……
What is the Moral of this story?
I believe there is more than one. On first glance, the obvious one is that we must enjoy our peace and life today and not put them off for another day. Another is that we not judge how others choose to live their lives but focus on our own game. Yet a third could be, as the businessman points out, that the more we accumulate, the more we need to manage our accumulations and our peace of mind might come last. Or as a friend shared, if the fisherman paused from inhaling the cloud of toxic smoke, he might live longer to enjoy his life… Ah! If we stopped to think about the story, we might have different versions or interpretations. As Friedrich Nietzsche would say, “There are no facts, only interpretations.” What is Yours?
Positive Motivation Tip: Enjoy your life; live every moment; focus on your game…
Related Articles
- Simple Life (bintanghoward.wordpress.com)
- The Fisherman and the Hunter (cleveroldowl.wordpress.com)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of a fisherman via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Loved it! Especially the story- very thought provoking.We can live peacefully even without millions of $$ in our bank accounts.
Love,
-Hatter
I really liked the story too when I read it… The image stayed in my mind… We can be peaceful with less and with more; if we develop the perspective that we need our peace no matter what. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
we have to learn to ignore orders like “Why don’t you catch more fish instead of sitting in the shadow wasting your time?”
greetings from flickrcomments about WORK
I hear you… we live in a world driven by orders to perform, deliver, produce… and then we wake up one day and find life has passed us by and the orders haven’t changed anything… 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
What a great story!! It’s so true!!
Yes it is … Each time I read it, it gives me another way of looking at the message. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
Oh, great story, Elizabeth!
The answers are within…and the problem is often that many are either afraid to delve too deeply for fear of what they will find…or they believe the next guru or motivational speaker or theory or book 🙂 or news flash will provide what they are searching for.
I laughed at the motivational speaker line… yes, the answers are within us, if we could just shut out the noise. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
Your fisherman is right! What do you think I’m doing right now?!
thebaxterbunny.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/
Enjoy the day! xoxo
What a wonderful surprise visit Baxter! How are you enjoying life? I know I have been remiss and should visit you more. Will do so shortly. I know you’ve been on trips as your boss told me… Keep it up. 😉
Thank you!
Eliz
Wonderful story, Eliz.
I would rather emulate the fisherman than the businessman. Less is more. 🙂
The fisherman had his point and with reflection, the businessman did too… Now if he could take the time to relax, he would really be on par. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
So well written. Enjoy every moment, that is so true, but how many of us take that moment to realize how precious every moment we have to breathe, look at all the beuaty around, thankful for all we do have, every instance that brings a smile. With looking at the problems of the world today, is looking at the dark side of life. I like living for the moment and being very thankful for who I am and try to see the good in everything and everyone. Smile, its best medicine !!! 🙂
Who was it that said life is about moments? Each little moment does add up to the whole so we might as well make the best of it. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
relaxing with an obscene amount of money, is better than doing so without 😉
As long as you relax… If you don’t then it’s all back to square one. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
Great reading, I agree that we need to make a shift in our own energy. Sometimes this is hard to do when others are negative. Energy shifts are possible. If I am around people who are negative, I imagine myself in a blue egg, and their thoughts or energy cannot come through my shell. 🙂
I like the blue egg image as it sounds like the blue pearl image often spoken about in meditation… which is another way to clear the air and space. 🙂
Thank you!
Eliz
Smiles and laughter are contagious! You are so right…it takes way too much energy to stay angry. Surrounding yourself with positive people is a great choice… I know it has helped and continues to help me even on the toughest of days. Great post! 🙂
I agree with you on that note. Positive people give others another vision, another window to look through and I like that perspective too. Helps all of us too. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by !
Eliz
You really raise the bar for introspection with this post. And I think you sum it up perfectly by saying that it’s all a matter of interpretation. Silly, but it reminds me of a vague recollection about a squirrel who stores up nuts for the winter and then has to help out some other animal that did not prepare for winter… Not saying that what I think. It’s just that’s what comes to mind. Lovely blog. I came here because you were ahead of me in roll call at SITS. I’ll be back. 🙂
Yes, I appreciate the feedback and as I read the story again and again, I saw other points of view in it and so Nietzsche’s quote felt like the perfect answer… it’s all interpretation.
I like the squirrel analogy… happy nut helping others with their nuts. LOL! 🙂
Thank you for stopping by!
Eliz
Love that lesson. It’s amazing what we see when we slow down. But, I wonder if that just isn’t man’s nature. Look what we’ve accomplished by looking for the better stone tool, the rounder wheel. I don’t think we wanted to work that hard–I think something in our genes drives us.
Some days, I’d prefer to be a dog.
Could be the gene thing … would be great if it’s balanced with pure relaxation so we can continue the creativity again.
Man is driven though not all men… I think I’d rather be a cat on those days. 🙂 LOL!
Thank you!
Eliz
If we were able to live our lives according to the seasons…replenishing our energies throughout the colder winter months in preparation for increased action in the spring, it would bring much balance to our lives.
Our work patterns involve much ‘doing’ and very little ‘being’. It is essential to build in time for reflection. The power is in the silence.
Thanks for a wonderful thought provoking post Eliz.
Juls 🙂
Hi Juls,
Good to see and hear from you…
A lot is going on around the world of late… activism, heroism, skepticism and more. We could all benefit from periodic silence and sweetness. I’m ready for spring. Hope you are doing well. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and come back to your blogging soon! 🙂
Eliz
Interesting article. One reason I am usually upbeat and just centered, is I juzt stop and enjoy the little things. The towel hanging over the restroom bar, the beautiful paintings or wall pictures, the screw in the wall, the dripping of water, even if its percieced as ugly, enjoy everything around you. Appreciate it. That’s one way to be in the moment. All your worries, negativity, problems, its just in your head. It dosent matter what people think of you, and that is the secret to your happiness. Oh yea, while doing this exercise, make it the Only thing that is going on in the world.