The Man Who Put Stones in His Pocket

There was an old man who, every day when he went out, would put a stone in his pocket. Someone found this strange and asked him: "Stones can't be eaten, nor can they be sold for money. What do you carry them for?" The old man replied, "To remind myself." "Remind yourself of what?" The old man took out a stone and said: "When I encounter something unpleasant, I touch the stone to remind myself not to rush into anger." "When I envy others for living better than me, I touch the stone to remind myself to look at what I already possess." "When I feel life is too tiring, I touch the stone to remind myself to take one step at a time, right where I am." The person listened and felt it made a lot of sense. He picked up a stone and put it in his pocket. A few days later, he came to find the old man again. "Your method is completely useless! I still get angry, I still envy others, and I still feel exhausted." The old man smiled and asked, "When you touched the stone, did you stop and think?" The person was stunned. The old man continued, "The stone won't solve your problems for you. It just reminds you that you have the opportunity to choose how to face them." We often expect a certain method, a certain phrase, or even a certain person to make our lives smooth sailing from then on. But what truly changes things is often not the reminder itself, but whether we are willing to make a different choice after being reminded. Life doesn't necessarily require finding a magical stone. Sometimes, just pausing for three seconds before letting emotions take over can be a significant change.