Rest and Work
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters flowed, there lived a gifted carpenter. This carpenter was known for working without a break from the first light of morning until the middle of the night. With the sharp tools in his hands he made splendid wooden carvings, but he never stopped to rest. The old wise master of the village watched this eager state of his with concern. The old master knew very well that a bow kept constantly bent will soon break. One day the young carpenter took on the task of making a magnificent throne for the royal palace. With great excitement he shut himself in his workshop and began to carve the wood for days without any sleep.
As the weariness in his body grew, his mind became clouded and his hands began to tremble slightly. Just then the wise master came into the workshop and pointed at the taut bow on the wall. "If you keep this bow always bent, you will find it has lost its spring when you want to shoot an arrow," said the master. The young man shook his head proudly and answered, "I have no time to rest; I have to work." But as the hours went on, his tired hands lost their control and made a deep scratch on the precious wood. The ruin in a single moment of days of labour drove the young carpenter into deep despair. The wise master came at once to his side and slowly laid the chisel in the carpenter's hand aside.
He advised him to rest under the plane tree in the garden while a cool wind was blowing. The young man at last gave in, closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. When he woke, his mind had cleared and that hard, destructive tension in his muscles had wholly vanished. With renewed energy he went back to his work and turned the flaw into a graceful pattern with a masterly touch. When he finished the throne in time and handed it to the king, everyone admired the beauty of this masterpiece. The rhythm of life comes from knowing how to rest at the right time as much as how to work at the right time. He who runs too much tires quickly.