Share this :

Picture of peace

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures.

But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace.

The king chose the second picture.

It is easy for one to stay calm and quiet for some time in a peaceful place; but to be peaceful in an overcrowded, loud, adverse place is not easy. One must cultivate the habit of seeking peace within us and not look to external situations or place for us to be happy or peaceful. When we develop the attitude of being peaceful and happy from inside; outside situation will not disturb or affect us.