The Lord Vishnu said to his devotee: "I am weary of your constant petitions. I have decided to grant you any three things you ask for. After that, I shall give you nothing more."
The devotee delightedly made his first petition at once. He asked that his wife should die so that he could marry a better woman. His petition was immediately granted.
But when friends and relatives gathered for the funeral and began to recall all the good qualities of his wife, the devotee realized he had been hasty. He now realized he had been blind to all her virtues. Was he likely to find another woman as good as her?
So he asked the Lord to bring her back to life! That left him with just one petition. He was determined not to make a mistake this time, for he would have no chance to correct it. He consulted widely. Some of his friends advised him to ask for immortality. But of what good was immortality, said others, if he did not have good health? And of what use was health if he had no money? And of what use was money if he had no friends?
Years passed and he could not make up his mind what to ask for: life or health or wealth or power of love. Finally he said to the Lord, "Please advise me on what to ask for."
The Lord laughed when he saw the man's predicament, and said, "Ask to be content no matter what you get."
Anthony de Mello
The devotee delightedly made his first petition at once. He asked that his wife should die so that he could marry a better woman. His petition was immediately granted.
But when friends and relatives gathered for the funeral and began to recall all the good qualities of his wife, the devotee realized he had been hasty. He now realized he had been blind to all her virtues. Was he likely to find another woman as good as her?
So he asked the Lord to bring her back to life! That left him with just one petition. He was determined not to make a mistake this time, for he would have no chance to correct it. He consulted widely. Some of his friends advised him to ask for immortality. But of what good was immortality, said others, if he did not have good health? And of what use was health if he had no money? And of what use was money if he had no friends?
Years passed and he could not make up his mind what to ask for: life or health or wealth or power of love. Finally he said to the Lord, "Please advise me on what to ask for."
The Lord laughed when he saw the man's predicament, and said, "Ask to be content no matter what you get."
Anthony de Mello
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