My ruminations and renditions on life and experiences
Life's Lesson 1 - What's Gonna Be's Gonna Be
Posted Aug 5, 2009 at 12:31 AM by valteena
Read this story that is said to have been told by a former chaplain to the US senate, Peter Marshall and it goes thus.
A merchant in Baghdad one day sent his servant to the market. Before very long the servant came back, pale and trembling.
In great agitation he said to his master, "down in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd, and when I turned around I saw it was Death. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture.
Master, please lend me your horse, for I must hasten to avoid her. I will ride to Samarra and there I wil hide, and Death will not find me"
The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant galloped away in great haste.
Later the merchant went down to the market and saw death standing in the crowd. He asked her "why did you frightened my servant this morning? why did you make threatening gesture"
Death said "it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Baghdad, for I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra"
Ironic isn't? The resulting situation is poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended. He thought he was escaping Death by fleeing to Samarra not realising that he was actually fleeing into the very Death he was running away from.
The story exemplify the folly of supposing that we can know what fate has in store for us or prevent it by the actions we take.
Obvious such suppose knowledge can lead us into making choices that will precipitate the very course of event we are trying to prevent. A case of "what will be will be"
A merchant in Baghdad one day sent his servant to the market. Before very long the servant came back, pale and trembling.
In great agitation he said to his master, "down in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd, and when I turned around I saw it was Death. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture.
Master, please lend me your horse, for I must hasten to avoid her. I will ride to Samarra and there I wil hide, and Death will not find me"
The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant galloped away in great haste.
Later the merchant went down to the market and saw death standing in the crowd. He asked her "why did you frightened my servant this morning? why did you make threatening gesture"
Death said "it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Baghdad, for I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra"
Ironic isn't? The resulting situation is poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended. He thought he was escaping Death by fleeing to Samarra not realising that he was actually fleeing into the very Death he was running away from.
The story exemplify the folly of supposing that we can know what fate has in store for us or prevent it by the actions we take.
Obvious such suppose knowledge can lead us into making choices that will precipitate the very course of event we are trying to prevent. A case of "what will be will be"
Total Comments 2
Comments
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Heard this story when i was very young, but haven't been able to bring it back to my consciousness, because i forgot the details of it.
it is truly very telling.Posted Aug 5, 2009 at 09:09 AM by Anthonia
- Just heard this story recently and it does come to mind once in a while. For sure, que sera sera...Posted Aug 5, 2009 at 06:13 PM by mulan
