Great Lesson

There are many lessons to learn as we pass through our life, every day from dawn till dusk. Among these many lessons, how much can we learn from each of them? I am sure all of us have different lessons and understanding. Learn a great lesson each day is one adage which I have heard and it reminds me of a story which I would like to share it with you now; this is the story, a great lesson.

There was once a student who was curious to learn, a teacher and his fellow students knew that. One day he approached his teacher and asked him, “Dear teacher, could you give good lesson today?” The teacher said, “Yes, dear student, I will”. And he brought him to sit at a corner of the road where lots of people walked past. The teacher was quite well-known, so when people saw him they approached and asked him questions like; “What is life?” “What is the purpose of life?” “What is the destination of life?” “What should I live my life so that I can be happy?” etc.

The teacher answered none of them. The student was very puzzled and thought, “It is useless to sit here and listen to so many questions without any answer”. While he thought that, there was a poor man with a heavy stuff on his shoulder who approached the teacher and asked him the way to the nearest shop where he could sell his stuff. The teacher immediately stood up, took the man’s stuff on his own shoulder, and led him the right way to the shop. Then he returned to the student.

While the teacher was away, the student sat puzzling and thinking, “Who is that man? Why does my teacher take very good care of that man? But for the others, he does not even answer their questions. Perhaps that man is a high ranking officer in disguise, so my teacher serves him”. Whilst he was thinking this, the teacher returned and sat beside him. Then he asked him, “Teacher, who is that poor man? Why do you take good care of him? But the others you just ignore”. His teacher said to him, “Well! He is just a poor man, whom I have seen today, he really needs help. But the others don’t. This is a lesson for you today; answering to the one who needs the answer or help”. Then he took his student back to school. His student was impressed by his lesson, and saw that a lot of people just asked the questions, they did not really want the answers.

It is true though, that among many questions which are not important, there is one, which is really important, and should be replied to. It is great to help those who are in need, isn’t it? Then we can consider the other questions which are less important. Every question has its importance, but we have to see which one expresses a real need, and an answer would be great for the inquirer, DON’T OVERLOOK IT.