InspirEmail No 159 - May 18, 2009

Most look up and admire the stars. A champion climbs a mountain and grabs one
Author Unknown

InspirEmail No 159 - May 18, 2009
'Inspirational messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account'

The way back home

There is a very old Japanese legend about a sacred mountain where all old people would journey to when they were near their life’s end. They would wait on the mountain top until sunrise, and then the gods would take them to heaven.

One day, an elderly mother and son set out to their journey to the mountain. She was very old and frail, so the son decided to carry her up the mountain on his back to leave her to wait for the gods. They walked all day and at sunset they arrived at the foot of the mountain. They rested for a little while and then continued on up the mountain, climbing for several hours.

While the son walked up the mountain with his old mother on his back, he noticed that she kept breaking twigs and branches off trees and bushes every minute or so, and she would throw them on the path behind them.

He asked his mother what she was doing and she replied, 'You are a wonderful son. You have carried me far on your back to the sacred mountain and you must be very tired. I am breaking off branches to leave a trail, so that when you come back down the mountain you will know the path and not get lost. I am leaving little signs for you to return home safely.'

The son was very touched and shed a tear for his mother. Soon they reached the top of the mountain. He gently rested his mother down, bowed to her three times and bid her farewell, wishing her peace and happiness in the heavens, and leaving her to greet the gods at sunrise, then made his way back down the mountain following the trail of twigs and branches that his mother had dropped on the way up the mountain.

So it is with all mothers and also fathers, who show us the way through life. They leave us little clues to find our way home safely. They guide us through the mountains of life.

And eventually they leave us, but not without small signs to help us walk a better path.

Author Unknown

May's Featured Inspiration

A Mother's Job

A mother was asked by an officious clerk, 'What is your occupation?' She had dedicated herself to the raising of her children and felt that, though she was not financially compensated for her labour, her 'job' was of . . . read the story >>>

Slingshot Slavery

A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm and he was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced for some time but he could never hit the target he had set for himself.

Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to the farmhouse for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hitting the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes.'

But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.' Then she whispered to Johnny, 'Remember the duck?'

So Johnny did the dishes and later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.'

Sally just smiled and said, 'Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help you.' She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?'

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer.

He went to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a big hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window the other day and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'

Author Unknown