The Main Thing
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. -Anonymous
The rascal Nasrudin stood on the bow of a boat next to a pompous intellectual who began to quiz him on his education. “Have you ever studied astronomy?” asked the professor.
“I can’t say that I have,” answered the mystic.
“Then you have wasted much of your life. By knowing the constellations, a skilled captain can navigate a boat around the entire globe.” Then he asked, “Have you studied meteorology?”
“No,” answered Nasrudin.
“Then you have wasted most of your life,” the academician chided. “Methodically capturing the wind can propel a sailing ship at astounding speeds.” Then he inquired, “Have you studied oceanography?”
“Not at all.” “Ah! What a waste of your time! Awareness of the currents helps sailors find food and shelter. ”
A few minutes later, Nasrudin began to make his way toward the stem of the ship. As he ambled forward, he nonchalantly asked the fellow, “Have you ever studied swimming?”
“Haven’t had the time,” the professor haughtily responded.
“Then you’ve wasted all of your life-the boat is sinking.”
Each of us reaches a point in life where we must decide what is really important and live from our highest values. We must put aside lesser pursuits in favor of what truly satisfies our soul. When all is said and done, we will remember our moments of love and kindness, and all else will fall away. Do not be distracted from your soul’s true purpose. Do what is meaningful to you, and trust that all else will be taken care of.
Help me to stay on purpose today. 1 pray to live from my heart.
My priority is peace. I do what I am here to do.
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This meditation is an excerpt from Alan Cohen’s meditation book, A Deep Breath of Life.
