A wiseteacher once brought balloons to school, told her pupils to blow them up andwrite their name on one. After the children tossed their balloons into thehall, the teacher moved through the hall mixing them all up. The kids weregiven five minutes to find the balloon with their name on it, but though theysearched frantically, no one found their own balloon. Then theteacher told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the personwhose name was on it. In less than two minutes, everyone was holding their ownballoon.
The teacher said to the children, These balloons are like happiness. We won’tfind it when we’re only searching for our own. But if we care about someoneelse’s happiness…it will ultimately help us find our own. |