zenbananas | zen stories for meditation

Boy eating chocolate - photo by Blerina Berisha

A mother in a small village had a little boy who absolutely loved chocolates. He would eat too much and too often that the mother feared that it would be bad for him. She approached the village elder and said, “Elder, I have a problem. My boy eats a lot of chocolate and I am afraid it will harm him. Could you please tell him to stop eating chocolate?”

The elder said, “I can help you, but give me some time. Then I will go to your house and talk to your boy.”

A day passed, then two, then three – but the elder did not come.

A week passed, then two, then three – and finally, the elder came to the house. He called the boy, looked him straight in the eye and said, “You must stop eating chocolate. It is not good for your health.” He spoke with such authority and conviction that the boy promised he would never touch chocolate again.

The mother thanked the elder, but could not help saying, “Elder, I am grateful that you came to help me. But why did it take you three weeks to come and tell my boy to stop eating chocolates?”

The elder replied, “It is very simple. Three weeks ago, I had not yet stopped eating chocolates.”