We can find happiness only if we train our mind to enjoy the journey to the goal
A washerman had a donkey that he used for his daily work of pickups & deliveries. The donkey was very lazy and he just loved standing in one place the whole day. The washerman used to beat the donkey a lot but still the lazy donkey was not ready to go for work.
The intelligent advice by a saint.
One day, as usual the washerman loaded a sack full of clothes on the donkey but that lazy donkey
refused to move an inch. In frustration, the washerman again started beating the donkey with a stick. An
old saintly man was passing by he asked the washerman why he was beating the donkey.
The washerman sat down on a stone and narrated the lazy habits of the donkey. The saint said “I would tell
you a technique to get work from the donkey. Get a small frame fixed around donkey’s face and hang a
fresh carrot on it. But ensure that the carrot is far enough so that the donkey cannot eat it. You will see donkey
working the whole day. Also keep changing the carrot in 3-4 days.”
Saying this the saint went his way. The washerman did exactly what he was told. He got a frame fixed around
donkey’s face and hung a carrot in front of the mouth, but at a distance so that the donkey was not able to eat it.
The donkey tried to eat the carrot. As he could not reach it, he took a step further, another step, one more
step and kept one moving ahead to get the carrot. The washerman was now a happy man as the donkey was
always on the move to catch the carrot. His efficiency also doubled.
Moral of the story
The story of the donkey reflects the bitter truth of our life.
Just as the donkey kept on moving for the whole day in the hope of getting carrot, in the same way we humans
are endlessly working to achieve happiness. We hope to be happy when we reach a particular target or achieve something.
Another target, higher target, another goal. The journey continues and we are not able to find happiness. And only we are to blame ourselves for that.
We have to find happiness within every moment, in every phase of the journey we take. Happiness cannot be on
conditions. We have it with in us. Just we have to find ways to extract.
