"If you're feeling low, don't despair. The sun has a sinking spell
every night, but it comes back up every morning. The way I see it, if
you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
~ Dolly Parton  |
| Photo credits: anvari.org |
On a wonderful day, this quote makes perfect sense. On a nice day, this is exactly the kind of life I would want to lead. Never, never give up! Oh yeah, pretty simple. I can surely hold on when things seem worst.
Consider the other side. When I am going through turbulent phases, I ask "hold on, for what? No thank you, I am having a tough time as it is".
 |
| Photo credit: wallpapers-diq.com |
I remember the tea cup story during these times. That is when I try desperately and succeed in clearing the dark clouds in my mind. A speaker had recited this story when I was in school and somehow I have hold on this story. It may not reduce our despair or make our times better. This story, however, offers a nice perspective on tough struggles or should I say they make you feel "may be I should hold on, its not over yet!"
I do not know the origin of the story or who the author is but its a nice read anyway. Its a pretty long story but definitely worth a read.
There was a couple who used to go to England to
shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery and
especially teacups and this was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.One
day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup.They said, "May
we see that? We've never seen something so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly I (the teacup) spoke. "You don't understand. I haven't always been a teacup".
There
was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled
me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, "let me alone", but he
only smiled, "Not yet."
"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around.Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!" I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet.'
Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as He shook his head, 'Not yet.'
Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'There, that's better,' I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. "Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet.'
Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head saying, 'Not yet.'
Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself.And I did. I said, 'That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'
'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up'.
I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked.
I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you would not have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven,you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you.
Moral of the story
Consider yourself as clay. You turbulent and struggling times are like what a tea cup under goes. If you just hold on to the end, you might become a beautiful, wiser, stronger person just like the tea cup. The key is to Never ever give up- you do not know how close you are.
When your mind is tumbling, when you can't return the smile but only sigh. When you can't be thankful any more but only doubtful. That is when you need to rest to get your perspective right but not quit yet.
Story credit: Beautiful Thought on Life and Love
