Two magistrates had fallen foul of a police speed trap. Each was due to appear before the court. It was agreed each would try the other. The first magistrate went onto the bench. The charge was laid out before him. The second magistrate had been caught going at 90 miles per hour. The bench magistrate took time and thought. He then fined the second one £300 and endorsed his license with 4 penalty points.
They exchanged places. The first magistrate now stood in the dock. He had been caught at the same speed. The second magistrate thought, and then fined him £350 and endorsed with 5 points. When challenged by the first he stated. “We have to set an example here. This is the second case like this in one morning; we have to do something to make an example.”
A police constable had a disagreement with the local minister. Determined to get the better of the minister he watched and tried to catch him speeding, or jumping a red light. He was unsuccessful, the minister drove with due care. Then one day he saw the minister or his bicycle, he stopped him. He wanted to check that the cycle was in good road order. It was in tip top condition. The minister laughed, “You see I have special cover, I have the Lord always with me.” The constable drew out his notebook with a wry smile. “I have you at last,” he said, “you are charged with cycling with two on a bicycle.”
Yes the old ones are the best. But there is a truth lying within these two little stories. Life has a strange way of coming back to us. The actions of our lives ripple out and touch the lives of others, each action having a reaction. The more we encourage good actions then the more we are likely to experience good actions in our lives.
I hope today starts with a little smiles and that smile causes a reaction that makes you bring a smile to another. Each day as I read your blogs I leave my computer with a smile determined that in the course of the day I will pass it on.
This is the way of the Tao.
This blog is linked to my other blog where I discuss the artwork: The Lilly Pond
Good read. Left with a smile.
ReplyDeleteGood story! I've been thinking about how we embody so many of the taoist principals without even knowing what they are. I don't think I want to become a scholar of taoism. I just enjoy the stories. My father never heard of taoism, but he bought me that Pooh bear when I was five, and he read me all the Pooh stories, and he lived his life exactly the way Pooh would have: Always doing the right and good thing, without fanfare, and always recognizing and appreciating the goodness in others.
ReplyDeleteYou've made me laugh and smile this morning, Ralph. Thank you for that! I so love this painting and am anxious to get to the other blog and read its story. I think this is one of my favorite abstracted paintings. It speaks of lily pads and water, but more magically.
ReplyDelete