03 May 2012

A Role Model

A troubled mother took her daughter to see Mohandas Gandhi,  who was world-renowned for his great spiritual discipline.  It seems  the young girl had become addicted to eating sweets, and her mother  wanted Gandhi to speak to her about this harmful habit and convince  her to drop it.  Upon hearing this request, Gandhi paused in silence  and then told the mother, "Bring the girl back to me in three weeks  and I will speak to her then."

Just as she was instructed, the mother returned with her daughter, and Gandhi, as he had promised, spoke to the girl about the detrimental effects of eating too many sweets.  He counseled her to give them up.

The mother gratefully thanked Gandhi, but was perplexed.  "Why," she asked him, "did you not speak to my daughter when we first came to you?"

"My good woman," Gandhi replied, "three weeks ago I myself was still addicted to sweets!"

unattributed

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