By Paulo Coelho
In the monastery of Sceta, Abbot Lucas gathered the brothers together for a sermon.
‘May you all be forgotten,’ he said.
‘But why?’ one of the brothers asked. ‘Does that mean that our example can never serve to help someone in need?’
‘In the days when everyone was just, no one paid any attention to people who behaved in an exemplary manner,’ replied the abbot.
” ‘Everyone did their best, never thinking that by behaving thus they were doing their duty by their brother. They loved their neighbour because they understood that this was part of life and they were merely obeying a law of nature.
“They shared their possessions in order not to accumulate more than they could carry, for journeys lasted a whole lifetime.
“They lived together in freedom, giving and receiving, making no demands on others and blaming no one.
“That is why their deeds were never spoken of and that is why they left no stories. If only we could achieve the same thing now: to make goodness such an ordinary thing that there would be no need to praise those who practise it.”
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Beautifully expressed!
The story reminds me of the lives of the American Indians before the European settlers. The little that was taken from the land was used fully and gratefully. The few items they carried were shared. This is where the derogatory term “Indian Giver” came from. There was no concept of ownership, only stewardship. Items had an assigned keeper and if you had need for a something it was available, and after you were done with it, the keeper would ask for it back so it could be located when others needed it. Now every household needs two of everything. Consumerism unchecked will consume the consumer. During an election campaign, these forgotten would be called socialists.
If we act selflessly every day, there would be something mechanical?
There’s something in us that is called “human nature” and this often makes us act irrationally.
The mind deviates us from the path.
Really, I think it would be an insult to our loved ones to say that we will be forgotten; for we will live on in their hearts forever! As for our good deeds, maybe we’ll be remembered, maybe not, but it doesn’t really matter. What really matters is the purity of our intentions.
There are some who will be remembered for their contributions to mankind such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa. On the other hand there are doctors and others who are working anonymously behind the scenes in War Zones and Disaster Regions, who will never be remembered or recompensed.
For the ordinary man/woman in the Street like me, it is obvious we are not angels! I think it is necessary for us to examine our motives from time to time! Often we will find that they are far from pure, and then maybe it is just as well that our deeds will be forgotten!
St. Ignatius of Loyola had the right idea when he said in his prayer:
teach us good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do your will. Amen
Dear Theresa,
It’s interesting that you mention Mother Teresa, because she never wanted to be noticed according to her memoirs. By the way she exchanged a lot of letters with diverse people with the desire to get all of those letters destroyed. Against her wishes the letters were published after she died.
Love
Monica
wonderful prayer, thank you.
..and Barry says ….”It’s time”… right now ;O)
Uma bela mensagem e de fácil compreensão.
Com certeza, como simples mortais, todos seremos esquecidos.
Abraços.
Fique com Deus.
If we understood that we don’t possess anything, we come empty handed and we leave empty handed we would not put so much emphasys on material wealth.
On the other hand if we finally understood that everything boils down to loving one another then there would not be injustices in this world. For love would be the norm and there would not be a need for accumulating material wealth.
Love
Monica
This story is great!
I realised the importance of the moral here myself, during recent years… it’s all about living for today, not some far off maybe… about living your dream, not saving it for footnotes or the post-mortem!!?!!
;o)
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I know not,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! 11So now you are cursed [with alienation][43] from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. 12If you work the land, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
13But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment[44] is too great to bear! 14Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”
15Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case,[45] whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.”[46] And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
GENESIS.
This is the story of ABEL & KAIN.
Since then we are .. wanderers on this Earth.. We try to find our way to return to EDEN. Only if our Prayer will be fulfilled and ‘His Will be done on Earth as on Heaven’ only at that moment people will live with no need to be .. remembered.. Because we will all be ONE, luminous creatures of LOVE and LIGHT. AMEN.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Live a Gregorian chant lifestyle. Maybe that is the way it is Heaven everyone is just plain good.
But here on earth part of what makes us “good” is encouraging others, that means praising others and bringing out the best in those who are growing.
Having courage and speaking up for what we think is true, good and beautiful and making known what we see as a deviation from what we believe to be ideal for the common good.
Adam’s moment of glory may have been forgiving Eve for having misled him to eat the apple and letting her know that even though God had thrown them out of Eden he had let Adam take the best thing about Eden with him, her. They still had each other.
Would be lovely to live in a world like that.
We Do!
O loVe that thought that IF only we can all have the same attitude then the world will be a much nicer place to live in… though I believe if that would be so the people that would die will never be forgotten for they touched so many hearts with love for one another that there memories are part of the treasures that’s held inside the hearts of everyone he/she touches… Memories worth remembering with a smile…
I think, God loves ordinary looking people; that is why He made lots of them. ( Abraham Lincoln )
- Abbot Lucas preaches.
- Why does he say: “May YOU all be forgotten.”
- The behaviour of adults will always be exemplary for Children, but not what we tell or preach them..
- One day :-) They love their neighbour because they understand that this is part of life and they are merely obeying a law of nature.
They share their possessions in order not to accumulate more than they can carry, for journeys last a whole lifetime.
They live together in freedom, giving and receiving, making no demands on others and blaming no one.
- Nothing is wrong with stories, they are a wonderful part of live.
- Goodness is natural and we deserve to honor each other well dosed.
- Abbot Lucas might have needed a little bit compassion or a hug that day.
from the Heart from the Soul oneness
you do not have to explain your dreams they belong to you
Just something I was thinking about yesterday- if we were at peace and harmony with all beings in our natural world, life would not be a strife and all would fall into place naturally.
Thank you Paulo, you’re always an inspiration!
Wonderful. Thank you!
Its so simple! The time will come that goodness will be ordinary, but when will it be, and how?
NOW-by becoming a particle which changes the WHOLE.
Making Goodness such an ordinary thing >>> WOW
PLISSSS español por favor!!!! Gracias!!!!
En el monasterio de Sceta, el abad Lucas reunió a los hermanos juntos para un sermón.
“Que todos ustedes en el olvido”, dijo.
¿Pero por qué? “Uno de los hermanos le preguntó. “¿Significa eso que nuestro ejemplo no puede servir para ayudar a alguien en necesidad?”
“En los días en todo el mundo estaba solo, nadie le prestó atención a las personas que se comportaron de manera ejemplar”, respondió el abad.
“” Todo el mundo nunca hicieron todo lo posible, pensando que al actuar así que estaban haciendo su deber por su hermano. Ellos amaban a su prójimo porque entendían que esto era parte de la vida y se limita a obedecer una ley de la naturaleza.
“Ellos compartieron sus pertenencias a fin de no acumular más de lo que podría llevar, para los viajes duró toda una vida.
“Ellos vivían juntos en libertad, dar y recibir, sin exigir nada a los demás y de culpar a nadie.
“Por eso, sus obras nunca se ha hablado y es por eso que no dejó historias. Si tan sólo pudiéramos lograr lo mismo ahora: la bondad de hacer tal una cosa ordinaria que no habría ninguna necesidad de alabar a aquellos que la practican. ”
-courtesy of google translate :)
PLISSSS español!!!!!
Hola Martha!!!!!
Platiquemos en espanol entonces!!!
Monica =D
now – we no longer have to try!
truly love it. It is so much fun to be able to open up ones mind to new thinkings…. thanks.
True.
I loved your story, it made me cry.
Paolo, I am an Argentine Tango dancer and in my travels have danced with hundreds of men. I remember the great dancers that took my breath away to such an extent that I had to come back into my body at the end of the song. Their faces will remain emblazoned in my memory forever. I also remember the bad dancers whose lack left me counting the seconds until the end of the song. I make a mental note to self : remember his face and NEVER, EVER, EVER accept a dance with him again! Sometimes, years later, I run into a dancer and I know I have noted their face. I know I have danced with them perhaps on the other side of the continent a decade ago. But time has blurred the note..then I struggle to decipher did I recognize their face because their dancing transported me to a state transcendental bliss? Or, did I note them because they were totally lacking as a dance partner?
We remember the extraordinary. The ones who stand out. Be it for good or for bad. Is it human nature to continue to remember the bad more than the good? Or just a societal bad habit? What if there were a global paradigm shift that only the good would be covered in the media? Would reporters be scrambling to immortalize the unsung heroes who take food to shut ins? Would the gentlemen who stop in the rain to fix a flat tire for a stranger become the object of a papparazzi media blitz? Would Casting a vote for what is right and just in Congress but will ultimately be political suicide be covered on CNN?
Could there be an experiment to see if this would be possible? Could we globally declare only good news day? And for one day only have reports on good things? People doing what is right and just and compassionate?
nice words & wouldn’t it be nice. But a thought for you- perhaps one of those “awful dancers” years later would become a graceful dancer (like ugly ducklin) and you’d never have known?xxxx
HI dancer !!
wonderful suggestion i must say, surely one day in a month is not too much to ask for, when we request all, politicians, papparrazi, poets, even criminals to focus only on good, collectively and individually, a world goodness day, so to say !!
love
aditya
There is nothing to be replied, but the message of the story to be taken! It’s time that we should think about our deeds and actions, the time is very short, more shorter than we think.
Thats the goodness in silence. :)
Thank you, Paulo, this is a beautiful story.
And thank you for every day remembering us how simple it would be.
How simple yet complicated. Thank you for this post and the quote of the day!
We should always do what is right and not expect anything in return.Give without thinking about that we should getting in return.
Never thought of it in such way.. this is so true.. you always highlight amazing things.. thank you :)
That’s why you are my favorite author.
You bring such inspiration, insights and
realization to whatever is happening in my life.
I hope to read more of your works.
Whatever you say..but by now you are beyond ordinary..and will be remembered forever in our hearts.
we are strange? even this message that being ordinary is OK, we accept only from those who become extra ordinary !
love
aditya
Aditya, I haven’t met one single person being ordinary yet. Every human life is so unique and interesting that I cannot but love and admire. It was funny the other day…after having read this post…I met an old mother/grandmother of some previous clients of mine. I asked her; Hi, do you remember me? She did, and told me how the little family I used to see weekly, was doing now. You see, because of bad economical times, most social work programs have been closed down, and these poor families don’t get any attention anymore. So, there were bad news. The father of two children had beaten up the mother. She now has a restraining order against him, and have taken full custody for the children, who now cannot see their father anymore. For me, who saw this family every week for two years, and am attached to all four, it is very sad news. However, I have to be positive, and think, at least society gave them support during the critical time when the children were born, and assured a first year in these kids life occurred with no abuse. Anyway, I gave the grandmother a greeting for her daughter and grandchildren. It was very good to see her again (a huge overweight lady who regularly uses methamphetamine). And this is my conclusion…There are no good byes in my relations ships, they are always see you again..even when somebody die…it’s not farewell, adios..it is meet you again, and till then take care.
Love you dearest Aditya…always on the watch for something to comment and correct :))
Heart
Ciao Paulo, il vero Bene ama il silenzio e non dare nell’ occhio. Ciao Rosetta
I am not sure I fully understant that. Memories have their role, I dont think is my idea, but nothing is lost, something like an stamp…hope is the right term, will llst over time. Why forgetting a beautiful poem, or a great hero, who would like nobody will remember him? I dont think is an ideal, not for me. Maybe thats my personality. We not all the same. Outstanding people stay in history, I think is right being remembered for good deeds,else whats the difference? Sure one is doing good not for being remembered, but for bringing happiness…
Still, as one said you have to be in hell in order to appreciate heaven…Who will notice the difference, if all will be same? For me is hard to figure how would be. Like in some movies with small cities where all was perfect…(always was only in surface..)
Like too good to be true.
Forgive me for my sincerity, my Romantic character .
Love
Alexandra
APESAR DE TUDO, AINDA ACREDITO NO AMOR, NA FELICIDADE E, NAS BOAS AÇÕES E INTENÇÕES…
simple living high thinking, i just love this thought…
Wow, this is so deep and yet so simple, thank you for inspiring us each and everyday. Thank you for being who you are and helping us be who we were meant to be.
We need a LOVE REVOLUTION!!! :D
The love and light that people like you can give can’t possibly be forgotten. So YOU forget it to be forgotten. :PP
In fact that would be the perfect world, where evil has no possibility to make light look such an extraordinary thing (as in fact it is). No one would need to hide the right hand’s oeuvre from the left hand.
May we all be forgotten for the sake of our brothers for the sake of LOVE.
LOVE
Olta
How wonderful it will be the day we embrace the Divinity within us that propels us to naturally do great things.
If I ever become a published writer, I would be Paulo Coehlo… Thank you for making my everyday thoughts so eloquent & heartfelt.
I pray for you to get just as big as Coehlo if you do the same for me…
With love BKBouman from Holland
i could all be so simple!
The Aboriginal custom is that when a person dies, you can’t say their name anymore… don’t think it’s for this same reason, though.
Nice story; but for one – you should never be forgotten, what a loss that would be :-).
Kind regards,
Sanya
Beautiful story. I think the root of the problem is having an ego. May we work to banish them today and fulfill our natural duties!
as my friend says “we are all ‘e go thics”
I disagree
If this was to be in today’s life, I would not read the above story.That would have been very unfair:( because the story is nice.
Awesome story… But why do I m getting a feeling that I have read it somewhere. Maybe u have used this example in any of your books!!
Dear Naveen…you are correct! This is the second story in Paulo’s book: Stories for Parents, Children and Grandchildren – Volume 1. Love, Jane : )
Truer words where never spoken, I just hope that “being forgotten” is achieved quickly, and that we do not have to wait to long to see it happen. :)
Wow, Paulo coelho, this made me think, glad 2 read it, and ur quote of the week: “don’t allow your wounds to turn you to the person you are not” it’s.. Thoughtfull.. Make me consider.. But I’m just a Human.. It’s an honor having you in Twitter,
love Melanie potter from Cyprus, Europe
Γειά σου Μέλανη! ;-]
Πού μένεις? Εγώ είμαι από την Λεμεσό.
Χαιρετισμούς/ Regards,
LOVE, Thelma xxx
This is a really fascinating and inspiring story. After reading, it made me think “Yeah, the abbot’s got a point.” And a really good point for that matter. If kindness was a common or ordinary thing, it wouldn’t be praised, but imagine a world full of it. I WANT TO WITNESS THAT KIND OF WORLD. I pray to the good Lord that it happens. :)
Kindness, compassion, love, courtesy, cooperation, generousity – of spirit, heart and time.. sharing ..
t’would be a most amazing world were those things all common place.. I’m agreeing with “judge du” – that is the sort of world I want to witness
<3
Much Love – Great Peace .. all starts in One Heart .. and it is contagious :)
very nice :) wish we could all live like this
Really awesome! “Making Goodness such an ordinary thing…” Haven’t ever thought like this.
Adam’s moment of glory may have been forgiving Eve for having misled him to eat the apple and letting her know that even though God had thrown them out of Eden he had let Adam take the best thing about Eden with him, her. They still had each other.
Dear James, I liked what you wrote above. You made me smile.. It pictures so vividly the ‘WAR’ between Adam and Eve until this moment! Some have said that there is no understanding because we .. come from different Planets, Venus and Mars [ Αφροδίτη και ¨Αρης]. We still have .. each other, but the title of a book I read many years ago, is still valid: ‘MY wife the .. unknown’ and the .. sequel : ‘My husband the .. unknown’!! ;-]
The two .. halves of Plato’s ..ORANGE!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
thanks for the comment Aditya…….it’s so interesting to see it in this way….going back to Jesus’ time, he tried to be ordinary throughout his life with an extra ordinary exit and he’s one of the most influencial figures of all times!!!!
Love
Monica
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