Dearest Darling Friends,

Once, a student approached Rumi and asked, “How should I deal with the pain and suffering in life?”

Rumi, in his wisdom, decided to share a story:

“There was a man who sought the wisdom of a great sage, hoping to find a way to escape his suffering. The sage looked at the man and said…

‘I will help you, but first, you must do something for me. Take this spoon, fill it with oil, and walk through the village without spilling a drop.’

The man thought this task was simple enough and agreed.
He took the spoon, filled it with oil, and began to walk through the town.
He carefully balanced the spoon and focussed all his attention on not spilling any oil.

When he returned, the sage asked,

– Did you see the beautiful flowers in the town square?
– ⁠Did you feel the warmth of the winter sun on your face?
– ⁠Did you notice the children playing and the laughter of families?

The man realized he had been so fixated on the spoon that he hadn’t noticed anything else.

The sage then said…

“This is the key to dealing with pain.
You were so focused on the spoon that you missed the beauty around you.
When you are consumed by your suffering, you miss the beauty that exists in abundance in your life.

Pain is like the spoon, and life is like the village.
Don’t let the pain consume your entire focus.
Remember to look around and appreciate the beauty that still exists.”

The student understood the sage’s message.
While pain and suffering are part of life, it’s essential not to let them overshadow the beauty and joy that can be found in every moment.

As an entrepreneur and a top class professional, every now and then we are hit by pains and setbacks.
Do we get consumed by what is ‘not ok’ and miss all the beauty and positives that have emerged through the same experience?

Every time I have shared this story with my clients, it has moved them.
Something has shifted within for them.
The agony of pain was lightened with the realisation of ‘There is so much beauty in life’.

Their earlier stories had been focussing on doom and fright.
Thanks to Rumi, their new stories was about bright and light.

This story by Rumi serves as a reminder that even in the face of great pain, there is always a HUGE opportunity to find meaning and beauty in life.

Here are two questions for you? If you have a minute, I would love to know your answers.

1. How do you deal with pain and setbacks?
2. ⁠Do you have an anchor or a story that helps you face the sun and not the shadows?