The Parable of Focusing on the Good

The Apprentice had been feeling dull and sad all day, weighed down by his negative thoughts. The Teacher, noticing this, decided to share a simple but powerful lesson.

"Look around this room and find everything that is gray," said the Teacher.

The Apprentice obeyed and soon noticed a lot of gray: the dull window frames, the old curtain rod, the worn tablecloth, and the faded carpet. Everywhere he looked, gray was all he could see.

"Now, close your eyes," the Teacher said softly. "And tell me what blue objects are in the room."

The Apprentice was surprised and confused. "How can I tell you about the blue things? I didn’t notice anything blue because I was too busy looking for gray!"

"Open your eyes," the Teacher instructed, "and look again."

To the Apprentice’s surprise, the room was filled with blue objects! Pale blue curtains gently draped the windows, a bright blue vase sat in the centre of the table, blue flowers bloomed on the shelf. How had he missed all of this?

Angry, the Apprentice said, "It’s your fault! You made me focus on the gray, and that’s why I didn’t notice the blue."

With a calm smile, the Teacher replied, "That’s exactly what I wanted to teach you. You focus on the negative in your life, and that’s all you see. But just like in this room, there is beauty and goodness around you, which you fail to notice because you’re stuck looking for the bad."

"But I always thought that expecting bad things was better," said the Apprentice defensively. "That way, I wouldn’t be disappointed, and if something good happened, it would be a nice surprise."

The Teacher shook his head gently. "If you only look for the bad, then that’s what you’ll find. But if you choose to seek the good in everything, your whole life will brighten up. Even when challenges arise, they too will hold a lesson or a positive meaning. This is the key to living a happy life."

In life, it's easy to focus on what’s wrong or what makes us unhappy. But if you make an effort to look for the good things, no matter how small, you will find that your mood improves and life feels brighter. Practice noticing the positive, and soon it will become a habit. Challenges will come, but if you stay focused on what’s good, even tough times will feel more manageable.

Senith Samaranayake | The Official?

#Motivation #PerspectiveMatters #FocusOnTheGood #PositiveMindset #BeHappy