All or Nothing?
by Eugenie Knox
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Two men traveling on a train somewhere in this mighty galaxy. One man was a monk,
someone who had renounced worldly attachments. The other, a man like you or me.
Both men got to talking. The monk was speaking about freedom and faith and love.
Eventually the man spoke and said, “You speak of owning nothing, being unattached and
not like worldly folk and yet you have a suitcase with you. So you really are not authentic.
You are a fraud. You carry necessary items with you, so there is absolutely no difference
between us”
The monk gave the man a long hard look and picked up his suitcase and threw it out the
window into the river below.
The monk then said, “Can you do that?”
The man clung to his suitcase as if his life depended on it.
The monk smiled and said, “That is the difference between us my friend”.
When it comes to the point of our death, of our last breath, we suddenly awaken from the
dream and realize the folly of our lives, spent relentlessly in search of security, money,
possessions and fame. The most valuable thing in the world is our body and the breath.
When faced with the moment of Truth we awaken to the folly of our lives, lived without
thought of what is Real. The breath is closer to us than anyone could ever be, yet we
have failed to realize this gift of life. We cannot control the point of final departure of the
breath. It will leave when our time is up.
So let us renounce the madness of possessions and chasing the mirage of wealth and
glory and instead focus on our real journey towards inner knowledge of peace and love.
A kind word or smile as you pass by in the streets of life, a helping hand without being
asked to do so, not seeking applause for your actions, but being a tool in the hands of the
Divine.
We are unique, individual instruments, all magnificent in our possibilities and what we can
offer that is simply human. Let us aim high to become truly a human Being.