Triple Filter Test...

     In ancient Greece , Socrates (469 - 399 BC) was widely lauded for his wisdom.

     One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, " Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students? "

     " Wait a moment ", Socrates replied, " Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

     " Triple Filter ? "

     " That's right ", Socrates continued, " Before you talk to me about my student, let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth.  Are you absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true? "

     " No ", the man said, " Actually I just heard about it and..."

     " Alright ", said Socrates, " So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter - the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good ? "

     " No, on the contrary...."

     " So ", Socrates continued, " You want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain if it's true ? "

     The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

     Socrates continued, " You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me ? "

     " No, not  really..."

     " Well ", concluded Socrates, " If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all ? "

     The man was defeated and ashamed.

     This is the reason why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

     Next time someone starts to spread gossip, think of this !  ;)

An Old Story...

     An old man lived alone in a village. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison.

     The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation :

     Dear Son,

          I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here,  all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison.

     Love,
     Dad

     Shortly, the old man received this telegram :

     "For Heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden !! That's where I buried the GUNS !!"

     At 4 a.m. the  next morning,  a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.

     Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asked him what to do next.

     His son's reply was :

     "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad... It's the best I could do for you from here."

Moral :
     No matter where you are in the world, if you have decided to do something deep from your heart you can do it. It is the thought that matters not where you are or where the person is.  :-)

Today I can see more clearer...

     A young couple moves into a new neighbourhood. The next morning, while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbour hang the wash outside. That laundry is not very clean, she said, she doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap. Her husband looked on, but remained silent. Every time her neighbour would hand her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

     About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband : "Look ! She has learned how to wash correctly, I wonder who taught her this." The husband said : " I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows !"

     And so it is with life : " What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look. Before we give any criticism, it might be a good idea to check our state of mind and ask ourselves if we are ready to see the good rather than to be looking for something in the person we are about to judge."

     And oh yes ! I almost forgot..... I see you today much clearer than I  did yesterday..... And you?