Secret of Old Man’s Fitness
Once Confucius was passing by a village where he saw an old man with his young son pulling water from the well. Confucius was confused to see this as at that time people harness horses or oxen to pull water from the well.
Confucius with concern went to old man and said, Why are you unnecessarily tiring yourself and young man, that now we have harness horses and oxen..?!
Old man hushed him and said, Please speak softly. I don’t want my son to hear this..!! I can answer you but please come back when my son go for lunch.
Confucius was perplexed. He kept quiet and waited until old man came to him alone at lunch time.
Confucius questioned, Why would you not let your son hear what i said?!
Old man replied, I am 85 years old and yet i have strength to work side by side a 30 years old young. If today i engage horses to pull the water then my son will not be able to have same strength at 85, that i have now..
That’s why i asked you not to speak about it in front of my son.
It’s question of his health. We heard that in towns people use horses to pull water from well. There are machines also to do that..
But if i use horses or machine now to then what will he do?? What effect will it have on my son’s health.. If he saved from all the doing all the hard work now then how will he be able to maintain his health..?!
Moral
What we today will Effect us Tomorrow. What we do on one hand has an immediate effect on the other.
Note As Lao Tzu Said, Work and rest are both united. If you wish to relax, toil hard.! Strive so hard that relaxation falls on you.
He who Rests in the day, Destroys his Repose of the Night. Rest has to be Earned through Labour Or else you shall have to pass a Restless Night.
