Dig a Well for Yourself

Two monks were neighbours in the sense that they lived in two different temples which were situated on the hills adjacent to one another. A stream ran through the valley of the hills. Everyday at almost the same time these two monks would come to the stream to fetch water. Soon they became good friends.

As time flew three years had passed. Suddenly one day the monk from the hill on the left side did not come to fetch water. The monk from the hill on the right side thought that he might have overslept. The following day the monk from the hill on the left side still did not appear. So did the third day, the fourth day..........until a week had passed.

A month had gone and the monk from the hill on the right side could not take it anymore.

He thought,"My friend could have fallen sick. I must pay him a visit to see if there is anything that I can help him."

So he climbed the hill on the left side to see his friend.

When he reached the temple there he was shocked to see that his friend was pratising Tai-Chi in front of the temple. He did not look like one who had survived without water.

He asked curiously,"You have not fetched water for a month, how can you survive?"

"Come! Let me show you something.", his friend said.

The monk led his visitor to the backyard of the temple and pointed at a well, said,"These three years during my spare time I dug the well. Even if I was very busy I still spent some time to dig it. Finally I had completed digging and I don't have to fetch water from the stream down hill. Now I have more time to practise Tai-Chi which I love so much."

In the employment world, nobody knows how long one can hold on to the job. Therefore no matter how much we earn, how much stock and shares we possess, these are only like fetching water from the stream. Do not forget to dig a well for ourselves after work, to develop our other skill or sideline, to get ready for the days when we have no water to drink.

As changing employment is not an easy task, we have to plan early as finding a new way out during good times is easier than bad times. Although many people have the idea of developing a sideline or a second skill, it is only remained in a planning stage without any action being taken.