A disappointing (?) 2014, in which we had invested a lot is fading off, reminding us that there is nothing called tomorrow. The moment we experience tomorrow, it appears to be today. What the upcoming 2015 might also tell us could be the same message - now is the right time to do what we propose. I remember the story of three apprentices. Three apprentices were one day making swords for their Master, who had commanded them to do so. The Master also had given specific instructions on how they were to be made. As the three apprentices worked, they debated over what were really the proper procedures and the many secrets of making fine steel.
The day finally came when the Master arrived to check on their work and to collect their swords. The three apprentices stood side by side anxious to see which sword the Master would choose to be his sword. The Master stood in front of the first apprentice and took the sword from his hand. He then drew it from its sheath. The Master looked up and said: "You thought you could fool me, but you have only fooled yourself. It is plain to see that you did not apply enough heat to the metal and therefore you failed to burn off the impurities in the metal and it will not hold its’ shine for long. Leave me." said the Master. "You have not heeded my words nor did you have the patience to even test my wisdom and see if it was true."
The Master held the sword for a moment and then again did as he had done before by chopping the blade into a tree. The Master looked up as the second apprentice in an inquisitive manner and said: "You too have deceived yourself. You have done well in heating and folding the metal, but because you thought your wisdom was greater than mine you cooled the metal while it was still much too hot. "Leave me also," said the Master to the second apprentice, "for if a man were to use either of these first two swords in battle, they would have surely perished." The Master then stood before the third apprentice and took his sword also. He then drew it from its sheath. The blade was smooth, brightly shined and there were also many characters and symbols beautifully engraved into the bottom. The Master then struck the tree with the flat of the blade not once, but five times, each time harder than the others. The sword rang out loudly, but it did not break, bend or blemish in any way. Humbled by what he had just seen, the Master held the sword out for all to see and said to the third apprentice: "Come with me. For you have heeded my council and have endured the long hours of heat, pain and tempering and have produced a blade worthy of praise and because you have done this, I will show you even greater things. For you have now learned that through much time, heat, tempering and patience comes the finest metal and then it is ready to be used by the Master's hand."
I need not tell you the moral of this story; it is a known fact that the more we sharpen the axe the sooner is the wood cut. The more patiently we listen to our masters the stronger and exemplary our life becomes. What that is going to blossom are the roses that we cared yesterday. Happy New year!
Joseph Mattappally
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