A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time
to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children,
he decided to do something different.
He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to
choose one of you."
The young executives were shocked,
But the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today -one very
special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year
from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge
the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO".
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed.
He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story.
She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds
and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed,
but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt
like a failure.
Six months went by-still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed.
Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to
his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted
the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their
plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be
honest about what happened.
Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his
life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other
executives. They were beautiful-in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the
floor and many of his colleagues laughed; a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim
just tried to hide in the back.
"My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one
of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot.
He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified.
He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed, Jim told
him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim.
He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief
Executive! His name is Jim!"
Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
How could he be the new CEO, the others said?
Then the CEO said,
"One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed,
plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today.
But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.
When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one
I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!" 1
to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children,
he decided to do something different.
He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to
choose one of you."
The young executives were shocked,
But the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today -one very
special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year
from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge
the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO".
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed.
He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story.
She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds
and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed,
but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt
like a failure.
Six months went by-still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed.
Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to
his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted
the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their
plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be
honest about what happened.
Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his
life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other
executives. They were beautiful-in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the
floor and many of his colleagues laughed; a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim
just tried to hide in the back.
"My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one
of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot.
He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified.
He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed, Jim told
him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim.
He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief
Executive! His name is Jim!"
Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
How could he be the new CEO, the others said?
Then the CEO said,
"One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed,
plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today.
But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.
When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one
I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!" 1
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But
If you plant dishonesty,
you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness,
you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride,
you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy,
you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness,
you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness,
you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed,
you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip,
you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries,
you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin **,
you will reap guilt. 2
Be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later.
The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better
- your life or that of the ones who will come after.
Yes, someday . . . you will enjoy the fruits
- or you will pay for the choices you plant today.
You think of yourselves as humans searching for a spiritual awakening,
when in fact you are spiritual beings attempting to cope with a human awakening.
Seeing yourselves from the perspective of the spirit within
will help you to remember why you came here
and what you came here to do. 3
you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness,
you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride,
you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy,
you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness,
you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness,
you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed,
you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip,
you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries,
you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin **,
you will reap guilt. 2
Be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later.
The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better
- your life or that of the ones who will come after.
Yes, someday . . . you will enjoy the fruits
- or you will pay for the choices you plant today.
You think of yourselves as humans searching for a spiritual awakening,
when in fact you are spiritual beings attempting to cope with a human awakening.
Seeing yourselves from the perspective of the spirit within
will help you to remember why you came here
and what you came here to do. 3
______________________________________
Acknowledgments:
[1] The Seed: Reaping What You Sow ~Anonymous (this is also known as “The Emperor’s Seeds”)
** Sin (knowledge not lived)
[2] –The Seeds You Plant ~Unknown
[3] ~Anon
Media: Rappelle toi-quand-lame-de ta mere
a Dawn Cove Abbey contribution
Layout Design and Presentation by KT+
Acknowledgments:
[1] The Seed: Reaping What You Sow ~Anonymous (this is also known as “The Emperor’s Seeds”)
** Sin (knowledge not lived)
[2] –The Seeds You Plant ~Unknown
[3] ~Anon
Media: Rappelle toi-quand-lame-de ta mere
a Dawn Cove Abbey contribution
Layout Design and Presentation by KT+
For prayer requests and more, visit our sister site Stella Maris,
- a place where truth and beauty dwells: or write for information.
- a place where truth and beauty dwells: or write for information.
To submit comments, requests or materials,
contact me at: outreach@dawncoveabbey.org
contact me at: outreach@dawncoveabbey.org
I gladly welcome all article, haiku, humour and poem contributions
For empowerment workshops and seminars see: http://www.dawncoveabbey.org/healing-circle
For empowerment workshops and seminars see: http://www.dawncoveabbey.org/healing-circle
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