LIVING MOMENTS OF AWARENESS

WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT?

Once upon a time, there was a girl who could do anything in the world she wanted. All she had to do was choose and focus on something. So, one day she sat down in front of a blank canvas and began to paint. Every stroke was more perfect than the next, slowly and gracefully converging to build a flawless masterpiece. And when she eventually finished painting, she stared proudly at her work and smiled.

It was obvious to the clouds and the stars, who were always watching over her, that she had a gift. She was an artist. But a few moments after she finished painting, because she realized that while she had the ability to do anything in the world she wanted to do, she was simply spending her time moving paint around on a piece of canvas.

She felt like there was so much more in the world to see and do-so many options. And if she ultimately decided to do something else with her life, then all the time she spent painting would be a waste. Twenty-five years later, the girl began to cry because she realized she had been walking for so long, and that over the years she had become so enamoured by everything that she could do.

So the girl purchased some canvas and paint from a local craft store and began to paint. One stroke gracefully led into the next just as it had so many moons ago. And as she smiled, she continued painting through the day and into the night, because she had finally made a decision.

- Marc Chernoff