There once lived a sculptor who was renowned for his beautiful sculptures. No one in the entire kingdom could rival his skill. Fame and wealth made him extremely arrogant. Years passed, and he grew old. The fear of death began to haunt him. Eventually, he devised a way to escape death.
He created ten statues that looked exactly like himself and hid within one of them. His aim was to deceive the god of death. In time, the god of death came looking for him. But even he struggled to identify which of the ten identical statues contained the living man.
Then, the god of death devised a clever trick. He said aloud, “All these statues are indeed exquisite. But one of them has a flaw.”
The sculptor, who was hiding inside one of the statues, couldn’t bear this remark. He burst out angrily, “None of my statues have any flaws! There is no sculptor in the world who can surpass me!”
The god of death smiled and replied, “You’re right. The statues have no flaws. But the sculptor has one. And that flaw has now led to your death.”
With that, the god of death took him away.
No matter how great or successful we may be, often what leads to our downfall is our own ego and sense of self-importance. Many among us nurture the attitude that whatever we do is right, that everything we own is the best, and that no one has the right to criticize or correct us. These are people who grow outwardly, but not inwardly.
Let go of ego. Acknowledge that we are all human beings with limitations and boundaries. When others point out our flaws, be willing to accept them with patience and address them with humility.
Regards
Prof Antoney P Joseph
