328-A little piece of heaven- Buddhism in daily life

A little piece of heaven

Every year, a large German company organizes various company outings, joint events and various activities that are intended to strengthen team cohesion, build a sense of community and make it easier for colleagues and employees to get to know each other. The company's management places particular emphasis on the shared experience, trust and motivation.

This spring, it was the turn of the management level to participate in seminars, a team hike was scheduled for the department heads, and the focus for the managers was to be on performance and sovereignty.

As well-paid higher employees, all participants were very full of themselves, their life was good, but for that the managers had enough other problems, they were already "getting on in years", in search of "themselves".

The hike was organized in a beautiful forest, the group was divided into two teams, at a meeting point the employees were to meet again, along the way they had to perform various tasks, similar to a scavenger hunt.

However, one team went off the trail, they got lost in the deep, dark forest. Anxiety came over the hikers, the phone had no network, it got really creepy for the city people in the untouched nature.

As they continued walking they saw a magical wooden hut by a small stream, here at least they could wait for rescue. As they approached, the men discovered a bearded inhabitant, but he was beaming all over, exuding happiness and contentment, the wanderers had not expected a hermit.

"Hello, wanderers," he called out delightedly to the group. "Good day," the lost ones replied to him. The managers told them about their excursion, and the bearded man explained the way back to their camp.

Before they left, a member of the team asked, "why are you so radiant, it has come to our attention that you are very happy, may I ask why? Do you live here alone, in this little hut"?

"Yes", answered the inhabitant of the forest who revealed himself as a Buddhist, "I live here alone, but I lack nothing. And my happiness is not a secret, I enjoy "my forest", the little piece of heaven that I can see from my place, from my chair here, from the door in front of my hut".

"May I sit in your chair once," asked one of the group? "Yes, why not, just take a seat" replied the hermit. The manager sat down, looked around, then spoke in slight amazement, "I can't see much from your seat, just trees, leaves and some sky, why are you so happy about it?"

"I don't know how to explain it to you," replied the bearded forest dweller, "but it's my place in life, my piece of heaven, my trees, I'm happy because I found my place, this is where I belong. Sitting on this, my chair fills me with happiness"!

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