A short Zen tale plus a PS

Words matter, even when they are few!

A man joined a monastery in which the monks were allowed to speak only two words every seven years. After the first seven years had passed, the new initiate met with the abbot who asked him, “Well, what are your two words?”

“Food’s bad,” replied the man, who then when back to his silence.

Seven years later the abbot asked, “What are your two words now?”

“Bed’s hard,” the man responded.

Seven years later – twenty-one years after his initial entry into the monastery – the man met with the abbot for the third and final time. “And what are your two words this time?” the abbot asked.

“I quit.”

“Well, I’m not surprised,” the abbot answered disgustedly. “All you’ve done since you got here is complain!”

So…what is the “lesson” here for us?

For me, it isn’t how much we say, it’s what we say. Our talk reflects our thoughts!

Words are powerful! They create our world.

P.S. Just for fun…

A man turned to his wife while they were sitting in the living room and said, “Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.”  She immediately got up, walked over and unplugged the TV.

So what do YOU say?