(Photo source: Pexels)
There was once a male and a female bird living in a big tree. To prepare for winter, they went out to pick fruits, and hoarded the store in their nest.
One day, under the heat of the sun, the fruits lost some of their moisture and shrivelled. When the male bird returned from fruit picking and saw that the fruits in the nest seemed to have decreased in quantity, he said to the female bird: “We work so hard together to pick fruits. Why did you eat the fruits all by yourself without telling me?” The female bird replied, “No, I didn’t eat any!” But the male bird insisted that she did, saying, “There are obviously fewer fruits than before. Why are you still denying it?” “I really have not eaten any!” the female bird protested, feeling hurt.
On hearing that, the male bird flew into a rage and started pecking away furiously at his partner. The poor female bird was covered in wounds; unable to bear the torture anymore, she flew away sadly.
After that, there was a sudden bout of heavy rain. The fruits swelled after absorbing the moisture, and the nest became full again. Upon seeing that, the male bird realized that he had wronged his partner and felt very remorseful. Day and night, he kept calling out for her to return, but despite his continued crowing, he never saw her again.
This story serves to remind us that trust is indispensable in our dealings with people. We must always remain calm and think carefully before we act. We must also be tolerant and considerate towards others, and not let ourselves be overcome by suspicion and then do things that we will regret later.
With a big heart, we will achieve success and harmony in our relationships with people and in our work. In addition, we will be able to maintain peace of mind. I hope that everyone can always be mindful in their daily lives and work to develop a broad, sincere and compassionate heart.
Extracted from Tzu Chi Monthly, Vol. 375
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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