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 were 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 lightening
played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This
did not look peaceful at all.
But when the King looked, 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.
.......perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the
prize?
The King chose the second picture.
Do you know why?
"Because," explained the King, "peace does
not mean to be in a place where there is
no noise, trouble, or hard work.
Peace means to be in the midst of
all those things and still be calm in your
heart."