THE REFLECTION

There was a king who was a great admirer of art. He encouraged artists
from all over his country and gave them valuable gifts.

One day an artist came and said to the king, "Oh King! Give me a blank
wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it. It will be more
beautiful than anything you have ever seen before. I promise you shall
not be disappointed. "

Now, the king happened to be constructing a big hall at the rear end
of the palace. So he said, "All right you may work on one of the walls
in the new hall." So the artist was given the job and he was very
pleased indeed.

Just then, another young man said, "Oh King! Please allow me to work
on the opposite wall. I too am an artist." The king said, "What would
you like to make?"

The man said, "My Lord, I shall make exactly what that man will make
on the opposite wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at his
work. I would even request you to have a thick curtain put up between
the two walls so that either of us cannot see the other."

Now, that was a tall statement. Everyone in the king's court,
including the king and the first artist were intrigued. But the King
loved surprises and he decided to give the young fellow a chance.

The following day a thick curtain was put into place and both the
artists got to work.

The first artist brought in a regular supply of paint, oil, water etc.
The second one would come with a cloth and a bucket of water every
day.

After a month the first artist told the king that his work was
complete and he would like to show it to the king. The king sent for
the second artist and asked him, "Young man, when would your work be
ready? I am coming to see the first wall this evening." The man said,
"My Lord, my wall is ready too!"

The king went to see the first artist's wall. He was very, very
impressed with the painting and gave a hefty sum as a reward to the
artist. He then asked for the curtain to be opened up. The same
painting was to be seen on the opposite wall too! Amazing! But true!
Each line, each minor detail was exactly as it was on the first wall.
But this man had not been seeing what was going on, on the other side
of the curtain. So how had he done it?

The king wanted to know the secret. He gave a double reward to the
fellow. Then he said, "Young man, I am indeed very happy with your
work. But you must tell me; how did you do it?"

The man said simply, "It's very easy! I just polished the wall every
day! It was a wall made of white marble! The fellow polished it till
it shone like a mirror. The reflection of the painting across the
room, showed up in it! "

That is what it means to polish yourself. For when we polish our
hearts and souls, we see God's reflection within.It is said that the
world is a reflection of you. Whatever you are, the world will seem to
be that too. If you are sad, jealous, dejected, angry, restless ...
That is what the world will seem to be! If you are happy, the world
will seem to be paradise.

You decide how you want your world to look.

All Glories to God.