The Queer Minister

It's a simple story that presents complex solutions in simple ways by shifting the focus to "We - the team" instead of "I - the individual" in order to do anything one wants to do. As it is rightly said, "the way you do anything is the way you do everything". At some places, it puts emphasis on the need to be an individual too as per the circumstances.

The Queer Minister

There was a man named Andy. He was a traveller.

He came from a distant land and he was visiting this beautiful prosperous kingdom. He had heard a lot about this kingdom, its beauty, its lifestyle and how people were happy and peaceful in it.

When he reached the kingdom he came to know that the King used to enjoy, indulge in drinking and throwing parties all the time. When Andy learnt this he wondered if the King was so incompetent, then how come the kingdom had prospered so much? He further inquired and talked to the people and was told that the Chief minister of the kingdom was a very wise person who took care of the administration and he was the main reason behind the secret of prosperity and happiness of the kingdom.

Andy was much impressed by what he had heard about this Chief minister and thought of meeting him so he went to his office near the palace. He told the gatekeepers that he wanted to meet their Chief Minister but the gatekeepers refused him and told him to go away as Chief minister didn’t meet anyone without a prior appointment. 

Andy told them that he had come from a distant land and had brought a special message from his King for this kingdom. Hearing this the gatekeepers told him that the Chief minister was not in the city and that he should wait for the minister to come back. But Andy was impatient and curious to meet this minister as soon as possible. So he asked them where could he meet the wise minister? The gatekeepers pointed towards a steep hill to the side of the royal palace and said the minister had gone to the temple up there on the hill.

Andy decided to go to the top of the hill to meet this minister. The hill was steep and it was very difficult to climb it straight up. So Andy decided to follow a narrow path that was going around the hill. The path had a gradual slope to the top of the hill. 

Andy reached the top of the hill in an hour and a half. On reaching the top he saw there was only one main building having a huge round space. Andy saw two gatekeepers guarding the main gate of the temple.

The entrance to the temple was visible to Andy and he could see inside the temple. The Chief minister was sitting in the middle of the temple space. It was a very strange sight as there were no statues or decorations inside the space and it was empty with the minister sitting at its centre.

Andy was very thirsty but he could not find water anywhere at the top of the hill. He asked the gatekeepers if they could tell him where to find water to drink, but they told him there was no arrangement of food or water there. Andy tried to go inside the temple but the guards stopped him and told him to wait for the minister. 

As Andy was very tired and thirsty, he sat near the entrance and kept waiting for the minister to finish whatever he was doing sitting inside that empty space.

After some 2 hours, the minister got up and came out of the temple and started to leave. Andy hurriedly got up and offered greetings and salutations. Andy introduced himself, gave the message of his King to the minister and requested to have an audience with him for few minutes. 

Seeing that Andy had climbed such a steep hill to come and meet him the minister was impressed. He agreed to spare few minutes for Andy and gave him some water to drink. Andy noticed that the minister was carrying his own water with him. 

Andy sought few explanations regarding some strange things that he had noticed there. The minister agreed to answer his questions so Andy asked the following questions and said Mister Minister please tell me:-

Question#1. How come the kingdom is so prosperous even when the King is not so keen on taking care of the kingdom and is always busy in enjoying and partying?

Question#2 Why the temple is built on such a steep hill-top and away from the city?

Question#3 Even though it's called a temple there was nothing that would qualify the building for a temple. It had empty space then how come it’s a temple?

Question#4 Why there was no arrangement of food or water at the top of the hill?

Hearing these questions the minister smiled and then told Andy to listen carefully.  

Answer#1 The kingdom is prosperous because the people of the country love it a lot and work hard for it. They follow a team of wise ministers who take good care of the kingdom and the people therein. 

The people and the team of ministers think it as one team, one family. Even if one fruit is rotten the rest of them take care of their garden. The overall garden is still prosperous with abundance and sweet fruits.

Answer#2 The temple is built away from the city on the top of a hill so that one can think about things in peace away from the hustle bustle of the city. 

One can actually plan about the solutions to the problems of the kingdom in tranquillity and meditate in solitude. It was worth the effort to climb to the top and be able to think properly while resting in the hall.

The long walk gave the mind ample time to brood over the problems and help the person to focus deeply to find solutions while walking.

Answer#3 The minister said that he respects the holy temples with statues to pray to beloved God. But he likes to come in this temple to meditate and find solutions here.The minister further added that in order to connect to God it is very good but not necessary to pray to the statues or meditate through other things in a temple. Your simple and very strong love from the heart is enough to help you reach God and He hears all the prayers whether they are done in a proper holy temple with statues or inside an empty hall. 

The minister also said that the most important thing is "to keep it simple". The more the things are kept simple the better is the administration and management. 

He said that as the things are kept simple in the kingdom there are not many expenses incurred and hence the cost to run the kingdom is low. This is the main reason they have a surplus amount of funds to run the kingdom efficiently.

Answer#4 The minister answered his fourth question in a very nice way and said when you set to go on a journey be it short or long you should not depend on others and should carry your own stuff with you. 

Be it water or food or clothes. One should keep the luggage light but should carry essentials all the time as per needs. 

He said to Andy that you are a stranger in this city you should not depend on anyone and should be ready to do things independently. He told Andy to look at him even though he is a minister he carries his own water and food when he comes to the hill. He did not have special guards or people serving him to carry his food, water or bag to accompany him. He also told Andy if you embark on a voyage you should do all the research before you set out on a journey.

The minister asked Andy if he climbed the steep side of the hill or took the narrow gradual slope to go round about the hill to get to the top. After knowing that Andy had taken the gradual round about path he lauded the efforts that Andy had put in to reach the top of the hill. 

The minister further added that an important lesson learnt even in that climb is that one should break down a problem into small parts and should gradually deal with it in order to accomplish a long term goal.

~~~~ The End ~~~~~~

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