An American visiting India expressed a deep desire to meet a Rishi. He had read and learnt from his associates that Rishis were enlightened beings.

So his Indian hosts took him to meet a Sadhu they knew well. The Sadhu lived in a small hut.

The American was surprised when he entered the hut to discover it completely bare except for a small mat and a few wooden utensils.

The American could not contain himself, so he immediately asked the Sadhu, “With all due respect, may I ask where all your belongings are?”

The Sadhu replied, “Where are yours?”

The American replied, “Oh! You see, I am only visiting.”

The Sadhu replied, “So am I.”

The Earth is only 4.5 billion years old, and we individual humans will inhabit it for only a few short decades. We forget that nothing is permanent, so we live as if we shall be here forever. So we indulge in all sorts of silly things and carry an excess of material and relationships.

It takes a great being to awaken us to the reality that we are all visitors to this planet. When we awaken to this reality, everything looks so insignificant. We will continue to strive to be and do better, yet we will be detached from the outcomes. This makes us resilient and allows us to bounce back from failures, a key factor in achieving success. It is also the essence of bliss and our merger back into Creation.

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