The Pebble

[Guest guest]

Many years ago in a small

Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to

the village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the

farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a

bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter.

Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.

 

So the cunning moneylender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty

moneybag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

 

1. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's

debt would be forgiven.

 

2. If she picked the white pebble, she need not marry him and her father's debt

would still be forgiven.

 

3. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

 

Standing on a pebble-strewn path in the farmer's field, the moneylender bent

over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed

that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.

He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

 

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field that day. What would you have

done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told

her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

 

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

 

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose

the moneylender as a cheat.

 

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to

save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

 

Take a moment to ponder over this story. Experts use it to make people appreciate

the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma

cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences

if she chose any of the above logical choices.

 

What would you recommend to the girl do? Well, here is what she did ...

 

She put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at

it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately

became lost among all the other pebbles. " Oh, how clumsy of me, "

she said. " But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that

is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked. "

 

Since the remaining pebble was black, they had to assume that she had picked

the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the

girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an

extremely advantageous one.

 

MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution, which you can

find if you stretch your mind. If logic isn't working, try lateral thinking.

Lateral thinking is a creative exercise. Practice every day.

_____

TKU Stephanie StClaire

www.stephstclaire.com

 

Radiating UNCONDITIONAL LOVE & Truth to YOU!

May I always be found worthy.

aSoaringHawk

In Gratitude for All of Us!

Look at everything as

though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on

earth will be filled with joy & glory.