THE EMPEROR'S SEEDS

[Guest guest]

"Deepa H" <debu7366

 

THE EMPEROR'S SEEDS

 

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and new it was time to

choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or

his children, he decided something different.

 

He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It

is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have

decided to choose one of you."

 

The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give

each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to

plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with

what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants

that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

 

One boy name Ling was there that day and he, like the others,

received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the

story. She helps him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the

seed and watered it carefully. Everyday he would water it watches to

see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other

youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were

beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

 

Three weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a

plant, and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by; still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had

killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had

nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just

kept waiting for his seed grow. A year finally went by and all of the

youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for

inspection.

 

Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot but

his mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick

to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty

pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of

plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful -- in all shape

and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other

kids laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey

nice try."

 

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young

people. Ling just tried to hide in the back.

 

"My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the

emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"

 

All of the sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room

with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front.

Ling was terrified.

 

"The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the emperor asked his name.

"My name is Ling," he replied.

All kids were laughing and making fun of him.

The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.

He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new

emperor! His name is Ling!"

Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could

he be the new emperor?

 

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a

seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it

back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not

grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and

flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted

another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the

courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore,

he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

 

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.

If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.

If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.

If you plant hard work, you will reap success.

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap intimacy.

If you plant patience, you will reap inner strength.

If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But if you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.

If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.

If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.

If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.

If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.

If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.

If you plant greed, you will reap loss.

If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.

If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.

If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

 

So be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will

reap tomorrow.

 

May the Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our

families and remove our problems and anxieties by giving us all -

strength , goodluck, success and happiness with peace of mind.

Sai bhakt,

Deepa H