Sunday, November 29, 2020

The Pearl

Me - It looks like a genuine pearl. It's so cute, I want it. How much does it cost?
Him - Cute? I would never call it "cute". And yes, it's genuine.

Me - OK, it's beautiful. So?
Him - It's not cheap. In fact it's costly.

Me - But how much?
Him - I told you, it's very expensive.

Me - Do you think I could buy it?
Him - It costs everything you have, no more, no less. And anybody can buy it.

Me - I'll buy it.
Him - What do you have? Let's write it down.

Me - Oh, don't worry, I have $100,000 in my saving account. 
Him - Good, $100,000. What else?

Me - What else? I have nothing more. That's all I have.  
Him - Have you nothing more?

Me - Well, I have some dollars here in my pocket, but...
Him - How much?

Me - Let me find them. So, thirty, forty, fifty, eighty, one hundred, one hundred twenty... one hundred twenty dollars and 75 cents.
Him - That's fine. What else do you have? 

Me - I have nothing else. That's all. I swear to...
Him - Stop! Don't ever do that. Ever.

Me - Do what?
Him - Swear. Never mind. Where do you live?

Me - I live in my house.
Him - The house, too.

Me - You mean I must live in the shed?
Him - Have you a shed too? That too. What else?

Me - Do you mean that I must live in my car then?
Him - Have you a car?

Me - A little SUV and and old pick-up truck.
Him - Both become mine. Both cars. What else? 

Me - You keep saying "what else, what else"...  You've got my house, the shed, the cars, all my money, everything!
Him - What else?

Me - See what I mean?
Him - Are you alone in the world?

Me- No, I have a wife and two children.
Him - Your wife and children too.

Me - Wow, wait a minute here, this is like enslav... 
Him - I told you, everything you have. What else?

Me - I have nothing else, I am left alone now. 
Him - Oh, you too! Everything becomes mine - family, house, money, cars... everything. And yourself too. 

Me - ...
Him - Now you can use all those things here but don't forget they are mine, as are you. When I will ask you of the things you use, you must be ready to give them back because I am the owner. But for now keep them along with the pearl. Deal?


Over Overcoming

  "We don't so much solve our problems as we outgrow them. We add capacities and experiences that eventually make us bigger than ...