Lesson 8 Which Is the Best Way?
The Five Wise Men
One day, five wise men met on the road.
They agreed to travel together.
On the way, however, they became lost in a thick forest.
Before walking any further, they decided to stop and find the best way out.
After thinking for a while, the first man said,
“I strongly feel that we should go left.”
The second man said, “We should go right,
because right also means ‘correct.’”
Then the third man said, “Let’s walk back.
We came that way, so we can leave that way.
Then we can walk around the forest.”
The fourth man disagreed and said,
“I think we should keep walking straight.
The forest cannot go on forever.
A new path will open.”
Looking at them all, the fifth man shook his head and said,
"I know how to solve this. Just wait.”
He started to climb the tallest tree he could find.
As he climbed, everyone else decided to go their separate ways.
When the fifth man reached the top, he could see the whole forest.
Looking at all the paths, he found the shortest way out.
He hurried down to tell the others.
However, when he got to the bottom, everyone was gone.
He thought to himself, Where did they go?
I found the best way out.
He thought they were all wrong and he was the only wise man.
However, he was wrong.
Everyone was wise.
Each man had chosen his path and created his future.
The man who went to the left walked deeper into the forest.
He was attacked by wild animals and almost died of hunger.
Soon he learned how to protect himself and find food.
In the end, he made his way out of the forest and taught others survival skills.
The man who went to the right met a group of thieves.
They took everything from him and made him join them.
While he was with them, he showed them great kindness.
The thieves were moved by his kindness and learned from his wisdom.
Later, they also became wise men.
The man who walked back created a safe path around the forest.
Using this path, people could get where they were going without getting lost,
even though the trip took a little longer.
The man who went straight became a pioneer.
He left the forest and discovered places no one else had been before.
Thanks to him, people could enjoy these new beautiful lands.
The man who climbed the tree became a guide.
Since he had found many different paths,
he was able to teach people how to find the quickest ways to their destinations.
This is how the five men found their own paths.
Like them, we are each on our own journey in life,
and we cannot compare one journey to another.
You have to create your own path.
Listen to yourself, make a decision, and act on it.
Then, someday, you will realize that you have been living the life that is right for you.
8과 본문 전체 듣기
