A Wabi-Sabi Story

ONE STICK-TWO STICK (Passed from old African Kings)

To me this is another wabi-sabi story, one who looks for the good in the bad.

An old man is dying. He calls his people to his side. He gives a short, sturdy stick to each of his many off springs, wives and relatives. "break the stick", he instructs them. with some effort, they all snap their sticks in half. "This is how it is when a soul is alone without anyone. They can be easily broken."

The old man next gave each of his kin another stick, and says, "this is how I would like you to live after I pass away. Put your sticks together in bundles of two and threes, now break these bundles in half." No one could or can break the sticks when there are two or more in a bundle. The old man smiles. "We are strong when we stand with another soul. When we are truly with another we cannot be broken." This can be made even more strong when families are bound together with a circle of love, the rubber band shows that circle clearly and as each family is encircled in the same band of love, the bundle becomes even more strong and supportive. The Metaphor that goes with this is a young stick is sturdy and can survive alone with sunshine and water, but as the years go by and it is attacked by insects, drought and weather it becomes old and begins to deteriorate and without the support of the young new generations of growth it soon becomes decayed and dies. This is true of families. This is true of businesses, both large and small, and of departments in business. Of support groups of states and of countries. Let us put our sticks together and love and support each other as an everyday pattern of life. This is how life is /was meant to be. I love this story. This is how I know the simple people of our world really have all the answers to a better, more meaningful life.......and why we are all struggling for control of our lives.