The disciple sat down, cross-legged and attentive, at his master’s feet.
“Teach me,” he said.
“Let me tell you a story,” said the master.
“There was once a man who had two sons. The eldest son was clever and handsome, while the youngest son lacked all of his brother’s gifts. However, being clever and handsome does not necessarily make you a nice person. The older brother teased his younger brother mercilessly, mocking him for his lack of intellect and good looks. The younger brother didn’t always understand his older brother’s jokes, but he knew when he was being made fun of, and he tired of this quite quickly.”
“One day the younger brother decided that he’d had enough, and that he was going to take his belongings and leave home. ‘I’m going to just walk and see where my feet take me,’ he said, and off he went.”
“So, on the first day, he just walked in a straight line. But something strange began to happen. He was amazed to see that, as he passed, the animals of the forest were leaving their woodland homes to follow him.”
“On the second day, he kept walking, and the trees of the forest began to uproot and join the animals following him.”
“On the third day, he kept walking. As night fell, he noticed that the moon and the stars in the sky were also following him. Why was this?”
“I don’t know,” the disciple said.
The master smiled.
“These days, you don’t need charisma or intellect. You don’t even need to know where you’re going. These days, if you just look like you’re walking with purpose, the whole world will follow you.”
