I went to a flea market recently with a friend. As we were exploring a particular vendor’s wares, he engaged us in conversation. He was a little brown man with sparkling dark brown eyes, bowed legs, and a full snow white braid that ran down the length of his back.
The conversation quickly became about things existential. He asked if he could tell us a fable that he had learned in his travels around the world. “Of course,” we rejoined.
THE VENDOR’S FABLE
There was a monk who traveled about all year doing his work. Once a year he would return to the monastery. On the way to the monastery there lived a farmer and his family. They would always invite him in and offer food, shelter, and a place to rest.
One year he was returning to the monastery with a novice monk to whom he had been assigned. This time when they stopped at the farmer’s house they learned that the farmer had died. The family was not well off and were struggling. The family was living in one room and had goats in the other room. The goats were their only source of food, as they lived off of their milk. That night they gave all of the milk to the monk and the novice, and went to bed with empty bellies.
The novice was moved by their sacrifice and their suffering. He asked the monk, “What can I do to help them?” The monk said, “go back and kill the goats.” The novice returned that night and killed all of the goats.
The following year the monk and the novice were returning along the same path to the monastery. The farmer’s house was empty. They asked the neighbors what happened to the family. They were told that they had moved to town.
After their stay at the monastery the monks were curious as to the well-being of the family and went into the town. They found the family well off, having started a small business, and were living in a lovely small home.
The monks asked them about this turn in their fortunes. The family told them, “something happened to all of our goats the night after you left. In the morning, they were all dead. We moved to town and started this business and we are happy and well. We have had good fortune here.”
HOPE
HOPE: to cherish a desire with anticipation (expectation) : to want something to happen or be true : to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment: to expect with confidence: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment: someone or something (OTHER) on which hopes are centered
HOPE DASHED
The goats were the family’s only hope. In the morning all of their hopes were dashed. As long as they had the goats, and rested their hopes (Expectations for survival) on them (OTHER/OUTside of SELF), they did not move. They stayed in place. In that place they suffered greatly. When their hopes (Expectations/External) were dashed they had to move or die. They chose to move (Intend/Internal), and live.
THE DOUBLE EDGED SWORD
Hope is a sword with two edges. Hope, set in Expectation (External), can lead to inertia, dependence, lack of meaningful growth. Hope, set in Intention (Internal), leads to action and to new life. Hope from WITHOUT, dependent upon OTHER, will lead to disappointment and stunted growth. Hope, created from WITHIN will lead to new beginnings and new growth.
THE HOPE OF EXPECTATION
As a society we have been TAUGHT hope from Expectation. The Hope of WAITING (expecting) for something to happen. The Hope of Expectation - the Hope based in waiting - is a Hope of INACTION. The Hope of HELP coming from an OUTside SOURCE (OTHER). It is the Hope tied to/bound to OTHER/EXTERNAL and therefore, inextricably, to EXPECTATION.
We hope in the next president. We hope in the next remedy. We hope in the next theory. We hope in the next medication. We hope in the next job. We hope in the next relationship. We hope in the next lottery ticket. We hope that what ever is next will cure all that ails us. We hope in all manner of things, however the last place we anchor our hope is our WITHIN our SELF.
THE HOPE OF INTENTION
The Hope of Intention is the HOPE that WE create from WITHIN. It is the Hope of ACTION. It is the Hope of Movement and INTENT(ION). It is CREATION in the here and now, in this moment. It is INTENT(ION) to ACTION that we can take to benefit our SELF - TODAY - NOW.
We do not need solutions to be delivered to us by an OUTside source. We have the solution. We possess it WITHIN our SELF.
We have the POWER WITHIN our SELF to change our reality. We have the POWER WITHIN our SELF to change the trajectory of our life. We have the POWER WITHIN our SELF to change our life experience, our world. We have the POWER WITHIN our SELF to create the Shining Hope born of Intention and ACTION. The Hope of Growth and endless possibilities, unrestricted, unbound.
We do not HAVE to live stuck in one room, expectant and dependent upon the goats in the OTHER room - bound to our past (our legacy) - bound to OTHER. We can leave our past, move to town, act with INTENT(ION), and flourish, bound by nothing, creating everything - in the PRESENT.
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The White Tiger is written sequentially. To gain the greatest understanding it is recommended, and helpful, to read The White Tiger beginning with the original post forward. All preceding posts can be accessed by clicking this link https://substack.com/@thewhitetiger