Perspective, by Aaron Zehah

Perspectiva
de Aaron Zehah

Un om sarac traia cu sotia si cei sase copii intr-o casa foarte mica, cu o singura camera. Se incurcau mereu unul pe altul si era atat de putin spatiu incat de abia puteau sa respire! In cele din urma barbatul nu mai suporta. Vorbi cu sotia sa si o intreba ce sa faca. “Du-te si vorbeste cu rabinul”, i-a spus ea si, dupa ce s-au ciondanit putin, s-a dus.

Rabinul l-a salutat si i-a spus: “Vad ca te necajeste ceva. Orice ar fi, poti sa imi spui”.

Astfel incat barbatul sarac i-a povestit rabinului ce mizerabila era viata lor in mica casa, cu el, sotia lui si cei sase copii, toti mancand si traind si dormind intr-o singura camera. Omul cel sarac ii spune rabinului: “Incepem chiar sa tipam si sa ne certam unii cu altii. Viata nu poate fi mai rea de atat”.

Rabinul se gandi foarte profund la problema pe care o avea omul sarac. Apoi ii spuse: “Fa exact ce iti spun si lucrurile se vor imbunatati. Imi promiti?”

“Promit”, raspunse omul sarac.

Rabinul il intreba apoi pe barbatul sarac o intrebare ciudata: “Aveti vreun animal?”

“Da”, raspunse acesta. “Am o vaca, o capra si niste gaini”.

“Bine”, spune rabinul. “Cand ajungi acasa, ia toate animalele in casa sa stea acolo cu tine”.
Barbatul sarac fu uluit sa auda acest sfat de la rabin, dar promisese sa faca exact ce spune rabinul. Asa ca merse acasa si lua toate animalele de ferma in mica casa cu o singura camera.

A doua zi omul sarac merse inapoi la rabin. “Ce mi-ai facut, Rabbi?” planse acesta. “E ingrozitor. Am facut ce mi-ai spus si acum animalele sunt peste tot prin casa! Rabbi, ajuta-ma!” Rabinul asculta si spuse calm: “Acum mergi si scoate gainile afara din casa”.

Barbatul sarac facu precum spuse rabinul, dar veni inapoi in graba in urmatoarea zi. “Gainile nu mai sunt, dar Rabbi, capra!” gemu el. “Capra sfarama toata mobila si mananca tot ce vede!” Rabinul cel bun spuse: “Mergi acasa si scoate si capra afara si Dumnezeu sa te binecuvanteze”.

Asa ca omul cel sarac merse acasa si scoase si capra din casa. Dar apoi fugi inapoi sa il vada pe rabin, plangand si jelind. “Ce cosmar mi-ai adus in casa, Rabbi! Cu vaca e ca si cum am trai in grajd! Pot trai oamenii cu un animal ca acesta?”

Rabinul spuse bland: “Prietene, ai dreptate. Dumnezeu sa te binecuvanteze. Mergi acum acasa si scoate vaca din casa ta”. Si omul cel sarac merse inapoi repede si scoase vaca din casa.

In ziua urmatoare reveni iar la rabin. “O, Rabbi” spuse el cu un zambet mare pe fata, “avem o viata atat de buna acum. Toate animalele sunt scoase din casa. Casa e asa de linistita si avem chiar si loc in plus! Ce bucurie!”

Intrebari-samanta pentru reflectie:
Cum te raportezi la notiunea ca perspectiva noastra da forma experientelor noastre? Poti impartasi o poveste personala a unui moment in care constientizarea perspectivei care dadea forma experientei tale ti-a permis sa iti modifici perspectiva si, in consecinta, si experienta? Ce te ajuta sa iti recunosti libertatea de a da forma perspectivei tale?

Ari's Awakin Mar 6th Awakin Marin Reading (sent via email)

Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to our perspective shaping our experiences? Can you share a personal story of a time when awareness of your perspective shaping your experience allowed you to shift your perspective and thereby, your experience? What helps you recognize your freedom to shape your perspective?

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Add Your Reflection

7 Past Reflections

Andy

May 15, 2020

These short story's are entertaining and comforting .
Brings a smile for the day ahead.

Harman

Oct 2, 2018

I read this story of some one somewhere..

There was a guy who was a player, a sportsman. One day when he was playing a crucial match of his life, he was injured and he lost the match.. He was very disappointed with that and asked god why me... but he got no answer. He went to hospital and his leg was perhaps fractured.. Then in the next few days he started retrospecting his life about where things went wrong and he realized all through his life he had won so many matches where he did not even deserve to win and he never asked god why me.. but soon as he lost this match he started complaining god.. He felt sorry about complaining and accepted the fate.

I hope you get the idea..

Forgive me If I am mistaken with exact story.. as I dont remember who that player was..

Jyotima

Oct 2, 2018

Myself Jyotima, When i was very young i was diagnosed with disease names Takayashu. I was always sick and moving around doctors. I used to complain a lot, crib, cry and use to ask “ Why Me”. Why i have to suffer so much, why I am going thru all this. Why can’t i live a normal life. My life became a life of a victim. While this was all going there was so much good also happening in my life. My supportive parents, my well paying job,good life style, beautiful home, my loving husband ,adorable kids and caring friends all around, which i never noticed and appreciated. In year 2010 when my health deterioted and life got me the situation where i could see death very closely , i got the awakening and realisation of life , how blessed i was. Every breathe was so precious , every moment is a blessing which i spent in complaining . That was a turning time in my life which shaped my perspective of life and started practicing “ Gratitude” for my every bre... View full comment

Paul Hunter

Oct 2, 2018

A couple of years ago my mother passed away and a separation also led to me being apart from my son for what seemed like unbearable periods of time. I have practiced Vipassana and Anapana for quite a while but even so I could not work with the pain I experienced and had no equanimity.

As a surfer I began to remember the pain associated with being held down by a large wave, the feeling of needing to breath but not being able to. I felt relief in my body that I could breath freely, without restiriction. From there I began to see that, though I was living in my van, I had shelter from the harsh weather. I began to recall that I had food that day and was not starving.

This practice of gratitude eventually brought me back to my breath, which brought me back to observing bodily sensations. It may be this practice of gratitude that saved my life.

david doane

Sep 30, 2018

I see the effects of our experience and perspective being circular, shaping one another, the circular process starting with experience which to me is basic and primary. Oscar Wilde said, "Nothing worth knowing can be taught." That is, it's learned by experience which shapes our perspective which shapes our experience. That's what happened in Aaron Zehah's story. Once the man experienced the increased crowding in his little home, his perspective changed. And with a different perspective his experience in his home changed. In all matters, my experiences have ongoingly shaped my perspective whch has shaped my experience.

Jagdish P Dave

Sep 29, 2018

The world is how we see it. What lense we are using shapes the experience of the world we live in. The poor man in this story saw his world, the small house he lives in with his wife and his six children sleeping in the small room as a source of his misery. When his house was filled with chickens,a goat and a cow he realized how much misrable he became. Now he gained another perspective to look at the same house he lived in. This new and different perspective changed his old perspective. How we look at our life and how we relate to it makes a big diifference.Our awareness of our perspective shapes our expereince. Mindful awareness helps us to create a clear perspective of living with deep contentment with the world we live in.Our house becomes a home. When I was growing up in a family composed of four brothers, three sisters and parents living in a small house, We did not feel miserable. We learnt the art of living by living in a small houe wi... View full comment

Kristin Pedemonti

Sep 29, 2018

We become the stories we tell and focus upon. I love this folktale and used to tell it when I performed for families at libraries and schools. :) In my own life I am currently wrestling with the idea of relocating out of Washington DC where I moved 4 years ago. I keep asking myself, "am I seeing the full picture" or am I focusing on a negative perspective: is it really too "noisy" here with the current political atomsphere and activism that's now nearly 24/7? I ask myself to remember all the good here too: the amazing Burning Man and couchsurfing communities, the deeply heartfelt All Souls Unitarian church I attend. The fact that it's a walkable city. My housemates whom I lovingly refer to as the Golden Girls as they are in their 70s and 80! So many blessings. And yes, DC is tough to live in at the moment too. So I meditate and pray and ask, "what is best for my heart and soul" and may I see the full picture with gratitude too. I hope this helps... :) To shape perspective in a b... View full comment