Salt & Lake

Once upon a time, there lived a wise old man. One morning, there came a young man who was troubled by many problems. The steps are sluggish and the face is intricate. That guest, truly looks like an unhappy person.

     Without wasting time, the man told all his problems. The wise old man, just listening carefully. He then took a handful of salt, and asked his guest to take a glass of water. She sprinkled the salt into the glass, then stirred it slowly. "Try, drink this, and tell me how it feels ..", said the old man.

 "Bitter. Very bitter ", replied the guest, spitting sideways. The old man, a little smile. He, then invites his guests, to walk to the edge of the lake in the forest near where he lived. The two men walked side by side, and finally they came to the edge of the calm lake.

 The old man, then again sprinkled a handful of salt, into the lake. With a piece of wood, he made waves poking around and creating water ripples, disturbing the serenity of the lake. "Try, take water from this lake, and drink it. When the guest finished drinking the water, the old man said again,

 "How does it feel?". "Fresh.", Said his guest. "Do you feel the salt in the water?", Asked Old Man again. "No," the young man replied.

Wisely, the old man patted the young man's back. He then invited him to sit face to face, kneeling beside the lake. "Young man, listen. Bitter life, is like a handful of salt, no more and no less. The amount and taste of bitterness are the same, and indeed will remain the same.

 "But, the bitterness we feel, will depend on the container we have. The bitterness, based on the feeling in which we put everything. It will all depend on our hearts. So when you feel bitterness and failure in life, there is only one thing you can do. Let your chest receive everything. Breathe your heart to contain every bitterness. 

" The old man then gave his advice again. "Your heart, is that container. Your feelings are the place. Kalbumu, is where you hold everything. So do not make your heart like a glass, make a lake that can dampen every bitterness and turn it into freshness and happiness. " Both then went home. They both learned that day. And the old man, the wise man, again kept a "handful of salt", for the other young man, who often came to him bringing the restlessness of the soul.