A disagreement erupted between two buddies as they were strolling over the desert. A buddy gave the other a face slap. Though he was hurt, the one who had been slapped said nothing. Simply picking up a stick, he scrawled, “My best friend slapped me in the face today.”
Wandering on, they finally arrived at an oasis. When they went for a bath, the friend who had been slapped became mired in the muck and began to drown. Jumping in, the other friend saved him.
“Today, my best friend saved my life,” the friend who had been saved penned on a rock after his recovery. Why did you write in the sand when I slapped you, but you wrote on a rock when I saved you, the other buddy questioned?
The friend who had been saved said, “We ought to write down our grievances on the sand so that forgiveness winds may carry them away. However, we ought to record good deeds in stone so that the wind cannot ever take them away.
The lesson of the story is to never forget the wonderful deeds done for us by others, but to be ready to forgive those who wrong us.
This moral is demonstrated in the narrative by the way the friend who was slapped was able to forgive his friend. He knew that ultimately the winds of forgiveness would carry the incident away, so he inscribed it in the sand. But knowing it would serve as a constant reminder of the kindness his friend had shown him, he scribbled the story of his friend saving his life on a rock.
We learn from the storyline that we should not allow the negative things that individuals do to us that define our relationships with them. Never forgetting the wonderful deeds done for us by them, we should be prepared to pardon those who have wronged us. We should develop deeper and more satisfying connections when we do this.
Here are some further approaches to convey the story’s moral:
- We should not hold grudges.
- We should focus on the positive aspects of our relationships.
- We should be grateful for the good that others do for us.
- We should not let the past define our present.
One really useful instrument is forgiveness. Our hearts and our relationships can be healed by it. It does not follow that what someone did was right just because you forgived them. All we are saying is that their actions will no longer define who we are.
One lovely thing is gratitude. It can enable us, amid trying circumstances, to concentrate on the good things in our life. Thanking others for their kindnesses serves as a reminder that we are not alone in this world.
That was in the past. Even if what has happened cannot be undone, our reactions to it may. Give up your limited resentments and grudges. Focusing on the now and the future will startle you how much better your life would be.
These notes in theory should inspire you to thank people for their generosity and to forgive those who have hurt you. This will enable you to create for yourself a happier and more fulfilled subsistence.
I end my note by the following inspiring quotes on forgiveness and gratitude:
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” – Mark Twain
“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” – Jean-Baptiste Massillon
“The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – Joel Brown
