Shoes For the Soul

The thorn that pierces the foot brings temporary physical pain, but the thorn that pierces the soul inflicts lasting mental anguish: however, by nurturing the virtue of contentment, one finds the path to healing and peace.

Once upon a time, there was a king. Some people called him mad, but only in whispers. One day, the king’s little prince was playing in the open. a thorn pricked his foot, and he began screaming. the king felt sorely distressed. He ordered that the entire garden where the boy played be cleaned up and carpeted with leather so the prince could play carefree.

When he instructed his wise minister to implement the plan, he bowed and humbly submitted that the boy could have a chance to step beyond the playfield and get pricked by thorns and gravel. At this, the king ordered that the entire kiddom be carpeted with leather sheets. The royal contractor was excited by this plan and praised the king with flattering words.

The minister gave the royal treasurer instructions to estimate the costs. The group led by the treasurer got to work right away. The cost to cover the entire kingdom with leather sheets was obviously enormous, as the minister informed the king when he presented the project cost estimate the next day. It was a million times greater than the king's treasury.

The king was not happy at all. He sought guidance from his guru(Master) as a last resort. The guru said that while the plan had good intentions, it was financially prohibitive and impractical. The king demanded an answer.

The guru said that there was an alternate strategy that would require almost no time or money commitment and that it would be far more effective.

The king was enthused, and filled with joy. He requested the guru to spell out the details. ‘Hardly any details, your highness,’ said the guru. Instead of carpeting the entire kingdom, let the royal cobbler clad the boy’s tender foot-soles with soft-leather footwear. If his feet are clad, the boy may roam anywhere in the kingdom without any fear of hurt from thorns and prickly gravel.

The king, the minster and everyone, except the royal contractor, was happy. The king honored his guru for this simple and cost-effective plan.

The guru smiled. He said,” Your highness, the plan is inexpensive, but that’s a small positive. The true worth of this plan lies in the fact that it applies not only to one’s feet but also to one’s mind and soul. With all due regard to your majesty’s wealth, I wish to submit that you cannot ever carpet the entire earth. Not all the kings in the world in collaboration with each other can ever carpet the entire earth. But everyone can clad one’s own feet with shoes. Clad thus, go where one may, one’s feet will feel secure. It is as though the entire earth is carpeted.

The king wondered, “How does this plan affect my soul?’ the guru replied, ‘Just as thorns pierce and harm our feet, the thorn of discontent pierces every soul. No king ever feels satisfied, always coveting more. Comparing ourselves to others fuels discontent, a painful thorn that festers within.’

Physical wounds heal, but the wound of discontent lingers, tormenting us for a lifetime its pain gnaws at our soul, refusing to subside.

The king’s quest for wisdom had begun, guided by the guru’s profound insight: the greatest battle is not against external foes by against the internal enemy of discontent.

The thorn that pricks the foot can be pulled out with ease. The thorn that hurts the soul is difficult to pull out, unless one cultivates the virtue of contentment.