Thought for the day | Do not sell your soul for mere pleasures

Thought for the day | Do not sell your soul for mere pleasures
Integrity should never be compromised for mere pleasures.

A beautiful hornbill was the official singer in the forest. Once, she saw a farmer walk into the woods carrying a box. Curious, the hornbill asked the man what was in the box. “The box is full of wriggling worms. I am heading to the market to sell the worms in exchange of colorful feathers,” replied the farmer. The bird, excited to see the worms, said that she would give her feathers if the worms are sold to her.

The farmer readily agreed and the hornbill plucked out one feather from her body and handed over to him in exchange of the worms. She gave him a feather the next day as well. This way, the bird began to lose her feathers when it was repeated every day. She grew weak and could no longer fly. Without its beautiful feathers, the hornbill hardly looked anything like it used to be. She stopped singing and soon lost her life.

Selling one’s belongings impudently will result in a ruinous end. It wouldn’t do any good if our integrity is compromised for mere pleasures. Becoming the slave of desires would make us think and act emotionally rather than rationally. It would blind us and prompt to act in meaningless ways. Giving into temptations and quest for easy ways for achieving heights would make people forget about their real aspirations and end up being in an existential crisis. It is okay to bargain, do transactions or even make profits out of it. But what purpose does that wealth serve if there is no one is left to enjoy it?

It is not a good strategy to make others work, so that we can achieve our ends. We must pursue our dreams through dedication and hard work, not through trickery and deceit.

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