we cannot change the cards we are dealt,
just how we play the hand.
Friday, April 18, 2014
9:00 PM
The Fisherman and The Businessman - parts 1 and 2
An American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor’s orders. Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head. A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.
“How long did it take you to catch them?” the American asked.
“Only a little while,” the Mexican replied in surprisingly good English.
“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American then asked.
“I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends,” the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket.
“But… What do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican looked up and smiled. “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Julia, and stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.”
The American laughed and stood tall. “Sir, I’m a Harvard M.B.A. and can help you. You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. In no time, you could buy several boats with the increased haul. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”
He continued, “Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village, of course, and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually to New York City, where you could run your expanded enterprise with proper management.
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, senor, how long will all this take?”
To which the American replied, “15-20 years, 25 tops.”
“But what then, senor?”
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.”
“Millions senor? Then what?"
“Then you would retire and move to a small coastal fishing village, where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll in to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos...”
The Mexican fisherman looked perplexed, “But isn’t that what I am doing today senor?”
Just then, a naughty village kid ran by and pointed jeeringly, “My padre told me your guitar strings are old and your tunes don’t sound good no more”
The Mexican fisherman laughed it off, “Kids these days, only looking at what they have. But they lose sight of what they do”
“What’s the difference between a full and busy life, and a full and busy life with wads of cash?” He added.
Just then, the village head walked by, “Choices, my fisherman friend, choices. At 80, I had never taken a holiday beyond our hills. What I would give to see the Canyon in your home…” his voice trailed off as he gazed longingly at the American.
The Mexican fisherman laughed again, this time gentler. “Senor, we look always at what we wish to have, but what do we sometimes need to give?”
The American looked pensive, but replied slowly, “That is all true my man, but what if you enjoy building your enterprise?”
Now it was the Mexican who took a longer time to gather his thoughts. “Then we’re different, simply”
“No wrong, or right?”
“Indeed. No wrong or right – just different” The Mexican nodded. “But remember why you started building the enterprise. Or the wads of cash will devour you. Or the luxury of choice will ensnare you”
“Would you pray for me?”
the voices in my head-
i love my girl. a love so beautiful, symmetrical, tangible
God loves me. a love so great, unconditional, real.
my life in a nutshell. working towards loves of sorts. beautiful, symmetrical, tangible, great, unconditional and real.
a page, deliberately left blank.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8
Get awesome blog templates like this one from BlogSkins.com