… then I am two times happy

‘YOU ARE LIKE A SIEVE’

Ashok Silwal

It is one of Nepal Namcha’s goals to make a however small and modest contribution to make reading a pleasure, a curiosity, an enrichment, a source of knowledge, a relaxing and enjoyable pastime, to encourage reading anyway.

In fact, a reading, be it an article, a poem, a story, a page of a book or an entire book about history, politics, religions, cooking, astronomy, music, yoga, nature, travels … the topics are endless, you may like it or not. It can bore or amuse, it can involve, it can interest, it can surprise … it rarely leaves you completely indifferent.

Now, the beautiful metaphorical story you are about to read belongs to Hawaiian and New Zeeland Maori tradition. This ‘pearl of wisdom’ (so they call this kind of story) is considered as a step on the ladder to happiness; at the origin, orally left by the archetypal hero of Polynesian mythology, Maui, a very demigod human, the protagonist of adventures that convey a sense of happiness.

‘I have read a lot of books, but I’ve forgotten most of them. But then what is the purpose of the reading ?’, this was the question a pupil once asked his Master.

The Master did not answer at that moment. After a few days, however, while he and the young pupil were sitting near a river, he said he was thirsty and asked the boy to get him some water using an old dirty sieve that was there on the ground.

The student started as he knew it was a request without any logic.

However, he could not contradict his Master and, taking the sieve, he began to perform this absurd task. Every time he dipped the sieve into the river to bring up some water to take to his Master, he could not even take a step towards him that not even a drop was left in the sieve.
He tried and tried dozens of times but, as much as he tried to run faster from the shore to his Master, the water continued to pass through all the holes in the sieve and was lost along the way.

Exhausted, he sat next to the Master and said: ‘I can’t get the water with that sieve. Forgive me, Master, it is impossible and I have failed in my task.’

‘No- answered the old man smiling- you have not failed. Look at the sieve, it is like new now. The water filtering from the holes has cleaned it up.’

‘When you read books- continued the old Master- YOU ARE LIKE A SIEVE and they are like river water.

It does not matter if you are unable to keep in your memory all the water that they let flow in you, because the books, however, with their ideas, emotions, feelings, knowledge, the truth that you will find among the pages, they will cleanse your mind and spirit, and make you a better and renewed person.

This is the purpose of reading.’ (The stories of Maui)

I have been happy to share this lovely meaningful story with you and if, right now and next days, you want to read something more…. then I’m two times happy because reading is a gift you can open again, again and again…….

Many good readings to you!