There once was a King who offered a prize to the
artist who would paint the best picture of peace.
Many artists tried. The King looked at all the
pictures, but there were only two he really liked
and he had to choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect
mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around
it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.
All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect
picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains too. But these were
rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which
rain fell and in which lightening played. Down the
side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall.
This did not look peaceful at all. But when the King
looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush
growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother
bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the
rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest
... perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize?
The King chose the second picture. Do you know why?
"Because," explained the King, "peace does not mean
to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble,
or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all
those things and still be calm in your heart. That
is the real meaning of peace."
--Author Unknown
