A Quote by Leonard Jacobson

The Quest

A man was searching for the key to happiness.
One day he came upon a sage sitting on the side of the road.
"Where can I find happiness?" asked the man.
"It is here," answered the sage.
The man looked around.
"But there is nothing here," he said.
"There is nothing here," answered the sage, "because you are not here. How can you know what is here if you are not here."
The man looked confused.
"Become fully present with the trees," said the sage.
"Become fully present with the flowers and the birds and the distant mountain."
Guided by the sage, the man was able to bring himself fully present, and as he did so, everything began to change.
The trees became vibrant and alive.
They were full of light.
They seemed eternal.
The flowers exploded into all colors of the rainbow.
The song of the birds filled the man's ears.
He could feel the soft caress of the breeze upon his face.
And he was gently warmed by the sun.
He began to feel extremely calm and peaceful.
His mind was completely still.
Not a single thought arose.
He felt love arising within him.
He felt a sense of oneness and perfection rising within him.
He was in ecstasy and bliss.
A sense of inner knowing filled him and at last he was at peace.
For the first time in his life he felt full within.
And he was very, very happy.
Just then he heard a voice inside of him.
It was the voice of his mind.
It was the voice of his ego.
"Do
not listen to this foolish old man!" said the voice. "What can he offer
you? Just a few trees, some flowers and the distant mountain. That is
nothing. I can offer you so much more. I can offer you everything. All
you have to do is think, and it is yours. All you have to do is imagine
and I will take you there. I can promise you fame and power and glory.
Ask this so called sage if he can offer you that?"
The sage shook his head.
"I can offer you all the knowledge of the past," said the voice. "Ask the sage if he can offer you that."
The sage shook his head.
"I can promise you a better future," said the voice. "Ask the sage if he can do that."
The sage shook his head.
"I
can bring you everything that is missing in your life. I can fix up
everything that is wrong. Ask the sage if he can do that."
The sage shook his head.
The man had heard enough.
"What can you offer me?" he asked the sage.
"Only what is present in this moment," answered the sage.
"Is that all?" asked the man.
"Nothing more than that." said the sage.
The man thought for a while.
"No contest!" the voice said triumphantly inside the man's head. "No contest!"
"There is nothing here," said the man. "Just a few trees, some flowers and the distant mountain."
With that the man continued on his way, in pursuit of that which his mind had promised him.
The sage watched as the man disappeared down the road.
"No contest," said the sage to the trees and the flowers and the distant mountain.
"No contest."