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Friday’s have turned into story and funny days – enjoy!
There was a farmer in Africa who was happy and content.
He was happy because he was content. He was content because he was happy. One day a wise man came to him and told him about the glory of diamonds and the power that goes along with them.
The wise man said, “If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could have your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist, you could probably own your own country.” And then he went away.
That night the farmer couldn’t sleep. He was unhappy and he was discontent. He was unhappy because he was discontent and discontent because he was unhappy.
The next morning he made arrangements to sell off his farm, took care of his family and went in search of diamonds. He looked all over Africa and couldn’t find any. He looked all through Europe and couldn’t find any. When he got to Spain, he was emotionally, physically and financially broke.
He got so disheartened that he threw himself into the Barcelona River and committed suicide.
Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at a stream that ran through the farm. Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow.
He thought it would look good on the mantle piece. He picked up the stone and put it in the living room. That afternoon the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling.
He asked, “Is Hafiz back?” The new owner said, “No, why do you ask?” The wise man said, “Because that is a diamond. I recognize one when I see one.”
The man said, no, that’s just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come, I’ll show you. There are many more.” They went and picked some samples and sent them for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds. They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres and acres of diamonds.
There are a couple of lessons from this story – Earl Nightingale used it to suggest our best opportunities and riches are right under our feet and to start where you are. Good advice.
However my favorite line in this is: He was happy because he was content. He was content because he was happy.
The lesson for me is to be happy with life now – right this moment. What about you?
Friday funny:
From The Giant Book of Jokes:
Phillips came into the office an hour late for the third time in a week. The boss was waiting for him.
What’s the story this time, Phillips?” he bellowed. “Let’s hear a good excuse for a change.”
Phillips sighed. “Everything went wrong this morning, sir. The wife decided to drive me to the station. She got ready in ten minutes, but then the garage door got stuck and we couldn’t get the car out.
So I ran for the bus, but it was struck by a meteorite on the way into town. Everyone else on the bus was killed, but I staggered out of the debris and flagged down a police helicopter.
Unfortunately the helicopter smashed into an overhead wire, electrocuting the pilot and sending me plunging into the river. I managed to swim to the shore and hailed a lift to the station from a dispatch rider.
But yards from the station we swerved trying to avoid a dog and I was thrown into the back of a dustcart. Luckily it was coming this way, but we had to stop off at every house to make the collections, and that’s why I’m an hour late, sir.”
“You’ll have to do better than that, Phillips”, said the boss, disappointed. “No woman can get ready in ten minutes.”
Remember, you create your day by the way you think! Make it magnificent!
Blessings, Shawna
www.RelationalResults.com
