PERFECT PEACE

Once upon a time, there was a King who offered a grand prize to that artist who could reflect perfect peace in a painting. 

Many artists tried and the King looked and admired all the paintings.  But, there were only two he really liked most and he had to make a choice. 

The first was a very serene lake.  It looked like a mirror reflecting the surrounding placid mountains.  Above them was a very blue sky with fine white clouds.  All of those who saw this painting thought that it reflected perfect peace. 

The second painting also had mountains.  But these were uneven and bare.  Above them was a raging sky from which strong rain poured out amidst thunder and lightning.  The mountain below seemed to reverberate with the rushing stream of water.  This did not at all look peaceful. 

But upon a closer look, the King saw behind the waterfall a dainty bush growing in rock crevice.  In this bush was a nest. 

There, in the midst of the roaring thunder and raging sound of water, a bird was perched placidly in the middle of its nest...

Perfect peace...

Which painting do you think won the prize?

The King chose the second one.  Do you know why?

"Because", the King explained, "peace does not mean a place without sound, without problems, without work or pain.  Peace signifies that in spite of being in the middle of all these things, in the inner recesses of our hearts we are at peace.  This is the real meaning of peace."