Lying on his back, blinking the blood out of his eyes, the king watched a red kite reel in the sky. The scent of pine and old snow in the air. He rolled onto his stomach, pushed himself to his feet. He touched his left eye.
It was gone.
He lumbered down the rocky valley following the narrow stream. He paused in a meadow of foxtail, to regain his sense of direction. The sun hung hot over the trees in the east. He put his hand to his left eye.
It was still gone.
In the afternoon he lie beneath a warped juniper. Slept while the wind swarmed. When he awoke with a start a nearby hare jumped and bounded uphill, disappearing behind a crop of rocks. The king put his hand to his left eye.
It was still gone.
The following day, at dawn, he drank from a pond. While still crouched he touched his left eye. He wept long, hard. And then he rose to his feet, eyed a storm cloud, and lumbered west.
He marched through rain, through cold, through dark. But he marched.
By evening of the fourth day he spotted a large camp. A few souls wandered with canes about the space between the battered tents. Their eyes were covered by a swath of dirty cloth.
He entered the camp, built a roaring fire, and, throughout the night, replaced every dirty swath with a clean strip he tore from his own robe.
Then he ate.
The next day he taught the men how to shape yew into a bow, the women to milk cattle. The young men to plow, the young women to dye cloth. And, beneath the stars, he taught the children about the sun and the moon.
Over time they replaced the tents with houses made of stone. And until the end of his life he quietly ruled this small kingdom of the blind. The king with one eye.
So: what’s the moral? Leave your answers in the comments. And please share this story with people who need it.
You don’t need to be perfect, or to have all the tools to lead people.
One eye sure beats no eyes.
Love that.
Start with what you’ve got, where you are. Just start.
“Just start.” Indeed. It’s so easy NOT to start. We can think of dozens of excuses not to start, right?
Your own areas of weakness or need make you especially qualified to help others with similar needs. Your own problems make you aware of those of others and how you can help. You don’t need to be perfect. Just a step ahead in the journey, or simply willing to share and give what you *do* know. And it’s okay and good to start small.
Sublime, Heather: start small. Love it. Thank you for sharing. I think so many of us get frustrated, and see how far we have to go and compare ourselves to other people … and never get started. Great advice.
That’s exactly what I was thinking, Heather!
Our failures and struggles don’t have to be defeats. In fact, our failures and struggles — wiping the blood from our eye — can be an impetus for success, esp. when we use them to identify and empathize with other, real (i.e., failing and struggling) people.
Great post, Demian.
I think that’s an equally important point, too, Aaron: the fact that our failures can help other people. Thanks for pointing that out!
In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.
Just when I think I understand a concept, you come along and reveal layers I never considered. Damn, you’re good!
Never ride into a thick bush 😀
Haha, love that Isabelle. 🙂
Moral to the story: A one eyed king is better than the blind leading the blind? No, that can’t be it. Darn it. Okay, I’ll go with Heather’s answer!
You actually are correct, John. 😀
several things could be learned as has been shown in the other comments. I think … change your stumbling blocks into stepping stones. The one eye does not seem to be a handicap, it is all the things he faced in the journey. He overcame each one until he died.
Also…as a great salesperson said – “If you help enough other people get what they want, you will eventually get what you want.” He was a king without a kingdom. He helped the others and became their king.
I love that quote, Baxter. Thanks for sharing!
Don’t let what you think are imperfections prevent you from moving forward.
You can make due with whatever you have available now to trade up and get better and better over time.
Great story Demian! Thank you
Thanks, Jonathan, glad you enjoyed! And I think you are spot on.
In blind’s land, who have an eye is king… (Hope it’s close to the right quote in English…)
Wonderful post Damien, thanks!
What makes you uniquely you may just save someone or the world, but only if you are courageous and wise enough to embrace it, and then share it with abandon. Who you are in the world can be your curse AND your blessing.
That last line is golden. 😀
it’s all in the attitude. The king was not pompus, he lead those that needed him instead of ruling them. Loss sometimes makes us humble and meek.
The King saw a opportunity to find some people in the red kite . He persisted for four days .
When he reached the camp finding people who were blind .He was not discouraged He decided to use his skills to help people . Key points i see in this be willing to follow a opportunity, Persistence and to start using your skills .