A  Saint who was visiting the river Ganges to take a bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting at each other in anger.

The Saint turned to his disciples, smiled and asked, ‘Why do people shout at each other when they are angry?’

The followers thought for a while. Then one of them said, ‘Because we lose our peacefulness, we shout.’

‘But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner,’  replied the saint.

The followers attempted other answers but none satisfied the other followers.

Finally, the Saint explained,

‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance by a great measure. To cover that distance they must shout to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other over that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but speak softly, because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either non-existent or very small…’

The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, they only whisper and they become even closer to each other in their love. Finally, they need not even whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

He looked at his followers and said:

‘So, when you argue do not let your hearts become distant. Do not say words that distance each other more, or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.’

 

My prayer for all of you this week:
May you love so much and so well that you never need to shout.