The Salt in the Lake

A man came to a Zen Master and complained about his problems and sufferings in life. The old master listened carefully and gave him a handful of salt.

The man was confused and wondered if this magical salt would wash away all the pain and suffering in his life. The master then instructed the man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and drink it.

The man did as the master instructed. “How does it taste?” asked the master curiously. “Disgusting, not good at all,” said the man as he spat out the salty water.

The master smiled at the man’s reaction. He then asked the young man to put the same amount of salt in the lake nearby. The two walked to the nearby lake, and the man swirled the salt into the water. “Now drink the water from the lake,” instructed the master.

The young man drank the water from the lake without any problem. “How does it feel?” asked the master. The man, who was thirsty, thoroughly enjoyed the cool water of the lake. “It is perfect. I can’t taste any salt,” the young man replied.

The master then sat next to the troubled man and said, “The pain in life is like pure salt. It remains the same, but the amount we taste or suffer depends on the container we put it into. So, when you are in pain, you can expand your senses. Make your heart bigger with compassion and empathy. Stop being a glass and try being like a lake. Then the troubles in your life will not cause you much suffering.”

This story reminded me of Sunita, who generously agreed to share her story for my book, The Tenth Story. Sunita had it very tough right from her early teenage years. She lost her mother very early on, got married very young, became a mother when she could barely manage herself, and struggled financially. However, once she began her journey of building her sense of agency over her life, with each step forward, she began supporting other women in the village.

Slowly yet steadily, she began to take every opportunity to learn and grow. Each time she did this for herself, she did her best to create value for those around her too. This was her way of expanding herself to grow into a lake.

Not only did she help others grow, but she was also there to provide emotional support when those around her needed it. She diluted her pain, like the salt in the lake, by helping several other women like herself.

She contributed to building a strong community of women through Mahila Umang Producers Company, a collective focused on promoting sustainable livelihoods and establishing micro-enterprises for rural women of Uttarakhand.

She considered her role at Umang akin to a gardener who sows the seeds and nourishes the soil to create a vibrant garden. She feels someday, as she ages and stops working, passing by Umang will be like walking past tall and shady trees she had once planted.

Making one’s heart bigger may mean different things to different people; to some, it may mean developing acceptance or getting over strong likes and dislikes. But at the core of it lie two qualities – empathy and compassion. These qualities help us connect with others, understand their pain, and in the process, we expand, and our own pain begins to dissolve, much like the salt in the lake.

Stories like Sunita’s help motivate me to expand and work on myself to enhance my empathy and compassion.

What is it that helps you expand your heart?

References :

1) https://alltimeshortstories.com

2) https://yourstory.com/2018/03/sunita-kashyap-un-umang

3) The Tenth Story