Thursday, November 10, 2011

RIGHT TRANSFORMATION

RIGHT TRANSFORMATION

In ancient India, a sculptor went to purchase a slab of marble. Walking around the quarry, he came across a piece of stone lying in the corner that looked just right.

"How much for this piece?" he asked the shopkeeper.

"That one is free, if that's really what you want."

The artist was surprised. "Why are you giving it away?"

"It's all the wrong shape," the shopkeeper replied.

"No one wants to buy it, and it is cluttering my yard.

I would be only too glad to get rid of it."

A few months later, the artist returned to the quarry and handed the shopkeeper a package. The shopkeeper unwrapped it and found himself gazing at a delicate statue of an angel.

"What a beauty! I am sure you will get a lot of money for it. But why have you brought it here? I only sell stones."

"No, no. It is a gift for you."

"A gift for me. What for?" cried the shopkeeper.

"Because it is your stone."

"Don't you remember, I came here six months ago and you gave me a piece of stone that was lying in the corner of your quarry?"

"Oh, that was you. The artist, yes."

"This statue was made from that same stone."

"O God! Who would have thought that such a beautiful statue could come from such an ugly stone."

This is the image of our life. Through our spiritual efforts, we must remove the coarse flaws of the ego until the natural purity of the soul becomes fully revealed. We are all divine in the making. Our life is God's gift to us. What we make of our life is our gift to God.