Sunday, May 8, 2011

Circle of love

Circle of love is a story I've extracted from PAULO COELHO's "THE ZAHIR". Be good to others so that you will be treated good. Never expect back for whatever good you have done to others but the result someday will come and show you that you have done something good". So here is the story...
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One morning, a farmer knocked loudly on the door of the monastery. When brother porter opened the door, the farmer held out to him a magnificent bunch of grapes.
"Dear brother porter these are the finest grapes from my vineyard. Please accept them as a gift from me." "Why thank you I will take them straightly to the Abbot, who will be thrilled with such gift"
"No, no I brought them for you"
"For me? But I don't deserve such a beautiful gift from nature."
"Whenever I knocked on the door, you opened it. When the harvest had been ruined by drought, you gave me a piece of bread and a glass of wine every day. I want to this bunch of grapes to bring you a little of the sun's love, the rains beauty and god's miraculous power.
"Brother Porter put the grapes down where he could see them and spent the whole morning admiring them. They really were lovely. Because of this he decided to give the present to the Abbot, whose words of wisdom had always been such boon to him.
The Abbot was very pleased to have the grapes but then he remembered that one of the other monks was ill and thought "I will give him the grapes. Who knows they might bring a little joy into his life. "
but the grapes did not for very long in the room of the ailing monk, for he in turn thought " brother cook has taken such good Care of me giving me only the very best food to eat, I'm sure these grapes will bring him great happiness." and then when brother cook brought him his lunch, the monk gave him the grapes.
"These are for you. You are in close touch with the gifts nature gives us and will know what to do with this, gods produce.
Brother cook was amazed at the beauty of the grapes and drew his assistant's attention to their perfection. They were so perfect that no one could possibly appreciate them more than brother sacristan, who had charge of the holy sacrament and whom many in the monastery considered to be a truly saintly man.
Brother sacristan in turn, gave the grapes to the youngest of the novice in order to help him understand the gods work is to be found in the smallest details of the creation. When the novice received them his heart was filled with the glory of god because he had never before seen such a beautiful bunch of grapes. At the same time he remembered the day he had arrived at the monastery and the person who had opened the door to him; the gesture of opening the door had allowed him to be there now in the community of people who knew the value of miracle.
"Shortly before the dark, he took the bunch of grapes to brother porter." eat and enjoy. You spend most of the time here alone, and these grapes will do you good. "
"Brother porter understood then that the gift really was intended for him; he savored every grapes and went to sleep a happy man. In this way the circle was closed."

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