07/31/2026
Anxious? Worried? Angry? How can we possibly feel good about anything these days?! Well, here's a parable, adapted from a story I found, posted on the internet by Joel Ying, M.D. I promise it will inspire you!
A man once visited an old Buddhist monk, seeking relief from the battering of the world. How can I allow myself to feel peace or happiness, he asked, when the world is filled with suffering, injustice, pain, and chaos?
The monk gazed at him for a moment then asked, If your home was dark, would you refuse to light a candle, simply because the whole world is not yet bright?
The man was quiet.
The monk continued, Indeed, the suffering of the world is real. But if you destroy your own peace, you only add another exhausted, hopeless soul to the world.
Then the man asked, But isn’t happiness selfish, while others are suffering?
The monk smiled gently and told him, A drowning person cannot save another drowning person, and a mind consumed by despair cannot create healing.
The monk’s gaze shifted and he pointed to a still pond nearby. See the reflections in that pond? When the water is disturbed, it cannot reflect clearly, he explained. But when it becomes calm, everything becomes visible.
Then he looked back at the man. The same is true for the mind. A restless mind reacts with fear, anger, anxiety, and hopelessness. A peaceful mind responds with wisdom, compassion, clarity, and love.
The man hesitated, lowering his eyes, then he whispered, But the world still feels unbearably heavy.
The monk slowly nodded, then said to the man, Yes, and that is exactly why your peace matters even more. Then he gently added, You need not carry the suffering of the world inside your one fragile heart. Instead, be kind wherever you are, help when you can, speak gently. Reduce the suffering around you, even in small ways. A single candle cannot remove all darkness from the world—but it still changes every room it enters.
The monk smiled gently, one last time, and told the man, The world has no need of more broken minds, lost in darkness. What it needs is more calm hearts, creating light. Your task now, in the world is to protect your inner peace.
This reminder was created by my friend Leslie Fabian, a woman whose compassion, wisdom, and understanding helped save my life when I was just a stranger to her. One never forgets. And all my life I have tried to light a candle.
