ON the bank of a river grew a tall Oak Tree.
It stood with its roots firm in the ground,
and its head high in the air, and said to itself:
"How strong I am! Nothing shall make
me bow. I look down upon all the other trees."
But one day there was a storm. The terri-
ble unseen wind came and struck the proud
Oak. Crash! went the trunk, down came all
the beautiful branches, and the Tree fell into
the river. As the water carried it away, it
passed by a Reed that grew on the bank.
The little Reed stood up tall and slender, and
looked at the poor broken Tree.
"O Reed," said the Tree, "how did it happen
that you were not broken down and spoiled
when the wind came? You are so little and
weak, and I was so strong and proud."
"Ah! poor Tree," said the Reed, "that is
just the reason that the wind did not hurt me.
I bent low until it had gone by, but you stood
stiff, and tried to stop it on its way. No one
can stop the wind.
2007-04-20 08:33:41 · 11 answers · asked by girl24gr 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It must go where it is sent,
but it will not hurt those who are not proud
and stubborn."
it is an aesop fable
the ones who dont bend will eventually break
2007-04-20 08:34:40 · update #1
Tao Te Ching
Tao 76
Men are born soft and supple;
dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plats are born tender and pliant;
dead, they are brittle and dry.
Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible
is a disciple of death.
Whoever is soft and yielding
is a disciple of life.
The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.
same thing just in story form, it is from Lao Tzu, it orginated in China, and predates christanity by 1500 years...
I prefer this one...
22
If you want to become whole,
let yourself be partial.
If you want to become straight,
let yourself be crooked.
If you want to become full,
let yourself be empty.
If you want to be reborn,
let yourself die.
If you want to be given everything,
give everything up.
The Master, by residing in the Tao,
sets an example for all beings.
Because he doesn't display himself,
people can see his light.
Because he has nothing to prove,
people can trust his words.
Because he doesn't know who he is,
people recognize themselves in him.
Because he has no goad in mind,
everything he does succeeds.
When the ancient Masters said,
"If you want to be given everything,
give everything up,"
they weren't using empty phrases.
Only in being lived by the Tao can you be truly yourself.
2007-04-20 09:05:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good story. A willow will yeild to the wind, but not break.
There is a story in the old testament about a tree full of luxurious leaves. The leaves on the branch higher up, were looking down on the other leaves below, thinking how much better they were. I think the point made was that, all the branches had come out of the one trunk. The trunk sustains the lower branches, as well as the ones higher up.
2007-04-20 08:48:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In these latter day
degenerate times,
cherry blossoms
everywhere!
-Issa
Also, there is a Chinese fable about a stone cutter. It shares some similarities to the Oak tree fable. Though it's more about being yourself, it has those elements about the weak and the powerful. Check it out.
2007-04-20 08:40:35 · answer #3 · answered by Lao Pu 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Aesop? How many years did he exist before JC? I don't believe he was Jewish either.
'Treat other's as you would have done unto you' was said by Plato, several hundreds of years before JC. Those Greeks were pretty good philosophers.
2007-04-20 08:41:53 · answer #4 · answered by strpenta 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
use many skills to achieve
one item done many times over is good practice and makes expert at item
But in life this one item makes for stiffness
work on weakness not just strength
use many skills to walk through life
Is it possible to lose sight of what religion can do for you?
We are all lonely - religion can warm you even when tragedy and friends are not there.
But do not let it consume you let yourself know the world in its many forms and work on your weaknesses
learn to know yourself
"know yourself" written on Delphi's Oracle.
unfortunately besides knowing yourself - improve yourself.
2007-04-21 01:09:42 · answer #5 · answered by ctitek 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A bartender once told me "Never argue with a moron".
I've followed that advice many times over the years and it has served me well.
2007-04-20 08:42:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The wisest saying I've ever heard was from Rodney Dangerfield (peace be upon him).
"Watch out for number one and don't step in number two"
†
2007-04-20 08:38:40 · answer #7 · answered by Jeanmarie 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
wise!
Mine: Pray like everything depends on the Lord and do as if everything depends on you!
2007-04-20 08:39:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wises?
2007-04-20 08:37:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Thanks, that is something to remember. Sway with the winds of life.
2007-04-20 08:39:44 · answer #10 · answered by Tarpaulin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋