A single path

A samurai was chopping wood at an enormous rate of speed outside of a small cabin in the woods. The samurai was smiling and singing as he was splitting through 4 logs at a time on two stumps, with an axe in each hand.

A passing samurai stopped to watch him.

Eventually the passing samurai said, “Wow you are amazing, how’d you learn to chop so fast with an axe in both hands? You don’t have to live out here in that tiny house; you can live in town while making a bunch of money putting on demonstrations and teaching classes with that sort of talent."

The samurai chopping wood responded with,

“When I chop I focus on chopping all of the wood. That’s my only focus.

Accomplishing my tasks fills me with knowledge and happiness about my practices.”

The passing samurai nodded in a thankful motion and kept moving down the path. While walking down the path he meditated on that theory, joyful that he had seen greatness in such a basic chore. He felt at ease seeing that being great does not involve drawing a crowd. It involves a person realizing one’s full potential and being happy to live up to it.

Being great simply means being the best YOU. It takes lots of practice, but it’s possible.

Focus on one thing inside your soul and you will be great. Not for others that are passing by to notice your accomplishments. Because if you acknowledge you are great through the eyes of spectator you are no longer mindful of your actions. You are mindful of the watcher. It’s best to be mindful of you and your skills.

Learn, grow, and become new.