The scorpion stings but I do not

An old man saw a scorpion drowning and decided to pull it out from the water. He calmly extended his hand to reach the creature. When he did, the scorpion stung him. With the effect of the pain, the old man let go the creature and it fell back into the water. The man realizing that the scorpion was drowning again, got back and tried to rescue it but then again it stung him. He let go of it again.

A young boy standing by, approached the old man and said, “Excuse me Sir, you are going to hurt yourself trying to save the evil-vicious creature, why do you insist? Don’t you realize that each time you try to help the scorpion, it stings you?”

The man replied, “The nature of the scorpion is to sting and mine is to help. My nature will not change in helping the scorpion.”

So the man thought for a while and used a leaf from a nearby tree and pulled the scorpion out from the water and saved it’s life.

Moral of the Story:

This story reflects the psychology of some people; often when we face people who are unkind to us or circumstances which are not preferable to us, there is a tendency to change. To retaliate unkindly to unkindness may seem to be in our nature. Yet, when the dust settled down, when we regain inner peace, more often than not, we would regret what we had done in the moment of ‘losing’ ourselves.

Quoting Rainer Maria Rilke, “If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” I believe that it is in our true nature to be kind and loving.

Remember that we do not have to change our nature. Even if someone hurts us, we do not have to change our nature and do likewise. Do not let anyone or any circumstance changes who you are; let your true nature of loving-kindness and compassion be your guide in whatever you do.
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Photo Credit: Falk Lademann

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