Monday, July 25, 2011

First give bread to the hungry, and then eat yourself

This is a true story that happened in Japan.

Once, in order to renovate his house, the house owner broke open the wall. Japanese houses normally have a hollow space in between the wooden walls. While tearing down the walls, he found that there was a live lizard stuck on the wall because a nail from outside had hammered into one of its feet.

He saw this, felt pity, and at the same time he was very curious as to how it had survived, as upon checking the nail he realized that it was nailed 5 years ago when the house was first built!!!

What had happened? The lizard had survived in such position for 5 years that too in a dark wall partition without moving, it is impossible and mind-boggling.

How could it survive for 5 years without moving a single step--since its foot was nailed! So he stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it had been doing, and how it had been eating.

After waiting for some time, he was awestruck to see another lizard from dont know where it came, with food in its mouth. Ah! He was stunned and touched deeply.

This caring lizard had been feeding the nailed lizard for the past 5 years!!!

What is amazing is that it has been doing that untiringly for 5 long years, without giving up hope on its partner.

When a lizard can do it, why cant we?

Reflection

Imagine what a small creature can do, that we humans blessed with such a brilliant mind may not do all the time.

The life saving lizard has taught us never to abandon our loved ones in whatever situation – be it our elderly grandparents crippled with age or our parents who have given us their life and soul to bring us up. We should also try and help the handicapped, needy and other less privileged lives we come across in our day to day life.

The lizard has taught us never to say we are busy when we are needed by others especially our near and dear ones, as we may have the entire world at our feet but we might be the only world to them!

A moment of negligence might break the very heart which loves us through all odds.

Before we say something to our loved ones let us remember that it takes only a moment to break other's heart but an entire lifetime to make!