I know, I know it's an odd picture to change my perspective on life, so let me tell you the story behind the allegory of the spoons.
First, back story.... now, a few family members may he never wrote this speech, but I'm pretty sure I actually saw it! My grandfather started a plumbing supply business in Miami, Florida back in the late 40's/50's with an 8th grade education. He did so with tenacity, a shrewd eye and an understanding of the importance of relationships. After some time he became the president of the executive council in Miami, which was a prestigious group of like minded businessmen that shared the same goal of growing their businesses and therefore their community. I read a speech that he drafted a gave upon being elected into the position. The speech included the story or Allegory of the Spoons. If you have never come upon this story, it is as follows:
One day a man said to God, “God, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.”
God showed the man two doors. Inside the first one, in the middle of the room, was a large round table with a large pot of vegetable stew. It smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water, but the people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. God said, “You have seen Hell.”
Behind the second door, the room appeared exactly the same. There was the large round table with the large pot of wonderful vegetable stew that made the man’s mouth water. The people had the same long-handled spoons, but they were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The man said, “I don’t understand.”
God smiled. It is simple, he said, Love only requires one skill. These people learned early on to share and feed one another. While the greedy only think of themselves…
The reason this changed my perspective is that I have looked up to my grandfather for most of my life. To me he was a great man that started from nothing, realized he could do something better and took the leap. To know that HE knew that he could do everything in his power to grow his business and community but it would never compare to the greatness that could come by helping his neighbors grow too, changed the way I thought about I vs US. This changes how I think about relationships, leadership, the relationship with my clients....everything!
What's your 1 picture??
Much Love!
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