The Story of Possibility

There is this story (as told by Goenkaji of Vipassana Meditation) where a mother asks her son to buy a bottle full of oil from the village shop for cooking. She gives the boy the bottle with Rs.10. Given the task, the boy sincerely goes and purchases the bottle full of oil for Rs.10. While returning home, by turn of fate, the boy suddenly trips and the bottle full of oil from his hand slips. He manages to catch hold of the bottle from breaking, but spills half of the oil. He runs crying to mother apologizing for the fact that he carelessly spilt the half of the oil. That is being a pessimist.

And then, the mother sends her second son to buy a bottle full of oil for Rs.1o. By turn of fate, this boy too while returning spills the half of the oil. As the first boy, he manages to catch hold of the bottle from breaking, but loses half the oil. But this boy doesn’t cry and was in fact happy that though by carelessness he spilt half of the oil, he had saved half of the oil and also the bottle didn’t break and thus went back to the house. That is being optimistic.

But the story doesn’t ends here. The mother sends her third son also to buy a bottle full of oil for Rs.10. By turn of fate, this boy trips and spills half of the oil and manages to save the bottle. But this boy neither cried for the loss nor was content with the fact that he managed to save half the oil. He being a realist, accepted that he lost half the oil. He realised that he had to fully fill the bottle and that means he needed another Rs.5. So went out to get himself a job, earned Rs.5, with which he purchased half the oil and filled the bottle. And now what category this boy should be in?

I would call him a 'Possibilist'. And currently my experience at TFI is expanding my horizon in realising the gamut of possibilities available. Hope could learn more:)