A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, the son fell, hurt himself and screamed: “Aaahhh!”
To his surprise, he heard a voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: “Aaahhh!”
Curious, he yelled: “Who are you?” He received the answer: “Who are you?” And then he screamed to the mountain: “I admire you!” The voice answered: “I admire you!”
Angered at the response, he screamed: “Coward!” He received back the answer: “Coward!” He looked to his father and asked: “What’s going on?” The father smiled and said, “My son, pay attention.” Again the son yelled: “You are a champion!” As ever, the voice answered: “You are a champion!”
The boy was surprised and did not understand. Then the father explained: “People call this an echo, but really this is life. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our lives are simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life. Life will give you back everything you have given to it.”
Source [Slightly adapted]
{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello you all, just want to say thank you for your well-wishes for my new job. It’s only now that I accessed the POF website so I could just answer now.
I started my new work last Monday, and so far so good! Loving it already.
Great news Jaymee! Blessings on your new job and may you continue find all good things there!
Glad to hear your good news! Thanks for your thoughtfulness in sharing with us.
Jaymee,
Me three! I’m glad that you’re happy. Long may it last.
Paul
“It’s not what you know that changes anything, but what you believe and believe all the way through. ” Richard Rohr
Emma,
You’re not channeling Tim are you?
Paul
Ah, well, its good that we are all so accepting here. The gospel tonight said it all really. If you are doing what He wants you to do, who cares whether you are part of the in crowd, “properly catechised” or not. Just do what He told us to do.
“Life will give you back everything you have given to it.”
While one might see that in some ways I sure hope that our lives are not limited to that. So many lives can not begin to imagine the limitless love of God because their experience has been of such limited or conditional love. Let us hope that eventually that endless, unconditional love will lap over the breakwalls that our poor experiences build up and open us up to the ocean of God’s love.
Maura,
You wrote: “unconditional love will lap over the breakwalls that our poor experiences build up and open us up to the ocean of God’s love.” You are a poet!
Paul
I wish… but not so much even though as the ditty goes my
“feet show it … Longfellow”
Clap . . . clap . . . clap . . .
Yes, very poetic, indeed! And a good point.
I love this. Good day to hear it! Thank you.
Annette,
I’m happy that it was meaningful for you.
Paul
This is not an easy story. I can relate to what Maura is saying. Life is not a mathematical equation where we receive back whatever we put in.
I am so grateful for the life with which I have been blessed but I think about those who haven’t come from a loving home or those who live in a war-torn country or those who can’t get enough food to feed their children and the list goes on. Having said that, I do believe that we have control over our attitude and if we live in gratitude to God for God’s love and care, then we can perhaps agree with the last statement in the story. Our responsibility is to bring that love to others every moment of every day so that they may experience unconditional love in their lives.
Amen
Lynda,
Bringing the love to others – that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
Paul
Thanks Lynda and Maura
Your comments were so helpful.
Hmmm. Yes, up to a point but I’m with Lynda and Maura. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out like this.
Have a great weekend one and all
Simon,
Ah, well. It was worth the try.
Paul
I am with you on this one Simon.
Thank you for this story. I will remember it in the days to come as I resume my walk toward Santiago de Compostela…
Many thanks.
Bon Camino, Claire!
Claire,
Pray for us as you go along. Please.
Paul
Where are you starting from this time Claire? Buen Camino!
Thank you, Denise. It will my joy and pleasure to pray for all of us here, Paul.
This time, Margaret, we are starting two stages north of Merida, in a little town named Alcuescar. We’ll be staying at the ‘Casa de Beneficiencia de los Esclavos de María y de los Pobres’, which is a very special place, a home for men and women who don’t fit in society. The mass at 6:30 pm gathers pilgrims and residents. Last year, my heart felt very heavy there because we had to stop because of my fall. So this year, it will be a very special mass that I will attend — and you will all be with me/us.
Claire, bless you for your persistence and discipline. I really admire that. Thanks for your prayers and please know that you will be in ours.
Merci, thank you!
Jayme: I hope you continue to be happy in your new job. also I* hope that sll the good you put into it comesback to you. I am a retired Vocational counselor and I know how important it is to be happy at work. Good weekend to everyone.
Jo,
And a jolly good weekend to you as well.
Paul
We started the week with George Harrison, and I think perhaps we are ending it with – “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
While I understand what folks like Maura and Simon are saying, I do believe there is truth and wisdom and in this story. While love is not always repaid with love in our lifetimes or in this world, I remain stubbornly optimistic that seeds planted here and now will flourish in God’s time. I also believe, with Lynda, that the more we are able to love freely, without expecting to be repaid, the more we increase our own limited capacity to be loved.
This has been a week of great anxiety and great relief for me. I am grateful to everyone on PFO for being part of a thoughtful and prayerful on-line community. You have no idea how much help it has been to visit here and read all the comments.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Denise,
Remaining “stubbornly optimistic” is a great strategy for happiness.
Paul
I, too am a bit with Lynda and Maura on this one. We all know someone who seems to give so much and gets back so little in return in this earthly journey. Yet am reminded along the lines of “better to give than receive” and yes I have experienced the pleasure in giving. But if we are totally honest, I’m sure most of us do enjoy being the recepient too!
Happy relaxing weekend all. Not sure about the relaxing part in our abode as we have decorating to do! argh!!
Katy,
I love using “argh!!” as well and I know a bit about the pains of decorating so I’ll double “argh!!’ you in response.
Paul
Of course, as others have said, it’s not quite true that you give back just what you get, when it comes to love or anything else. That’s useful to keep in mind, to help us cope with the injustices in our own lives and see the injustices in other people’s lives. To some extent, though, we do reap what we sow, so even though we may be unfairly blessed or cursed, we’re better off blessing than cursing.