“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci. Adopted by Steve Jobs.
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The Hares complained to each other, “We are the most unfortunate of all creatures. Every Beast desires to feed upon us, and we have to listen for everything and run all day! Woe to us!”
As they approached a pond, they saw a group of startled Frogs, who, in fright of the Hares, started to jump into the water. “Oh,” said the Hares, “we are not the most unfortunate creatures, for, look, those Frogs are afraid of us!”
Moral of the Story: We should appreciate our condition, as it is oft that ours is not the worst. There tends to be better and worse circumstances than our own.
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Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue
Related Article: Complainers – No. 14. The Oxen and the Wheels – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series; The Business of Aesop™ No. 33 – The Stag and His Reflection; Substance Over Form. No. 33. The Stag and His Reflection – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series
All Men Are Not Created Equal, or Why Thomas Jefferson Got it Wrong – Stand for America®; Surviving Prejudice, Not All Bad
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Why We Loved It: This fable is exposes how appreciation tends to be relative. Moreover, how natural insecurity often makes us compare with the better condition, rather than the worse condition, providing an excuse for our self-inflicted misery.
There is a commercial on television with two young girls asking for a pony. The first was given a stuffed toy pony, and she was ecstatic and happy for the gift. Then, the second girl was given a real pony, which then made the first girl unhappy for her own lesser gift. The first girl now thinks that life is unfair. (Yes, life is unfair, by its nature. Equality is an artificial social construct not granted in nature, as Mother Nature abhors equality.)
The one thing over which we have control is our opinion, as it is a state of our own mind. Happiness should not be relative, but Aesop reminds us to find some comfort in the fact that there tends to be someone more fortunate and someone less fortunate than ourselves. And, further, Aesop teaches that the sage foregoes these comparisons, which tend to ride with envy desiring the better and pride lauding over the worse.
“If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart.” ~Socrates
“It is a waste of time to be angry about my disability. One has to get on with life and I haven’t done badly. People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.” ~Stephen W. Hawking
Parable of the Vineyard Workers. Two workers agreed to the daily wage, although one worker started early in the day and one started much later. At the time of payment, the worker who started earlier became bitter when seeing the worker who started later receiving the same wage. “The employer said in reply, ‘My friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go your way. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Am I not permitted to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’” ~Jesus ONE®: 1808
“Of things, some are in our power, and others not. In our power are our own opinions and acts. Not in our power are in the control of others. If you mistake the things which are in the power of others to be your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be disturbed, you will blame both gods and men. It is the act of an ill-instructed person to blame others for a bad condition of self; it is the act of one who has begun to be instructed to lay blame on self; and of the one whose instruction is completed, neither to blame another nor self.” ~Epictetus
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.” ~Reinhold Niebuhr (attributed)
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© 2013 Arnold Zegarelli and Gregg Zegarelli, Esq. Gregg can be contacted through LinkedIn. Arnold Zegarelli can be contacted through Facebook.
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