Resentment

Last week Anh Tran from our Consolidated Programs Division sent me a story that illustrates what we say and how we think about a situation can have a lasting effect.  It also teaches us that even if we find ourselves on the other side of negative or hurtful words, we always have a choice about how we carry it forward.

The children’s book, Zen Shorts, by Jon Muth contains a story called “A Heavy Load,” about two traveling monks.  During their journey, the two monks come upon an awful woman who refuses to cross a river because she does not wish to get her silken robes wet or dirty.  The older of the two monks quickly picks up the woman and carries her  Not only did she not thank the monk, she shoved him out of her way when he put her down and scurried by him haughtily.

Many hours later, the younger monk is still very upset and visibly angry about his friend helping someone so disdainful, and he feels obliged to share his frustration with the older monk: “That woman back there was very selfish and rude, but you picked her up on your back and carried her!  Then she didn’t even thank you!”

“I set the woman down hours ago,” the older monk replied.  “Why are you still carrying her?”

As Anh said when she shared this story with me, this is a powerful message about letting go of frustrations and moving forward, about putting our energies to good use, rather than getting mired in negative feelings.