Once there was a very rich man who, every time he saw people in need, would quickly pass them by, saying, “Sorry, I don’t help strangers.”
Then, over a short span of time, the man lost everything. When he reached out for help, the first person who passed him by mumbled, “Sorry, I don’t help strangers.”
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There was a man who, every time he looked up, worried about what was down… and every time he looked down, worried about what was up.
He suddenly died.
They buried him way down in the ground, facing up of course.
Monarch Butterfly on Cone Flower … Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2019
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
I’m reading at the moment Wieslaw Mysliwski – The last hand. Somehow I think immediately at him when I read this. haha
Interesting.
Since we live in a world where what was up is down, what was down is up we lose either way.
Who would have ever thought people could get things so screwed up?!
Here is a story my grandmother would tell:
There was a very old man who lived with his son and his son’s wife and his grandson. Now the son’s wife was not kind and didn’t like having an old man living with them. She had made sure he had special utensils to eat with and special plates and had finally convinced her husband to send him to a home because she didn’t want to be bothered with his care. So the son reluctantly packed up his father in his carriage and began the drive to the home. The father was sitting in the back and the son in the front with his young son. Half way there, the father looked down and saw his young son whittling some wood. He said, “what are you making son?” and the boy answered, “Special forks and knives for when you get old, father.” The son turned the carriage around.
Cute story! I liked it! 🙂
Karma talks, Tom 🙂
Beautiful photo.
Yes but real Karma is instant — just like John Lennon sang about — and it needn’t be something that happens differently later. If you do (and are) something rotten… it is recorded in the universe eternally.
I agree partly, Tom.
Karma doesn’t always hit instantly, no matter how much one may deserve it.
I agree, that we will need to pay for which bad or rotten behavior, we do too.
Ah, there needn’t be some kind of payment down the line of time; that’s an old-fashioned, primitive tradition. Nefarious behavior is illusory and distorted; that in itself is its own failure, travesty, or (if you wish) self-punishment. Nothing terrible has to follow later, though it well might (due to disorder running rampant).
Beautiful photo!
Thank you, Eilene. I like it too. 🙂
i like that!!
Much appreciated, Minnesota Michael! 🙂
Great stories and lovely photo!🙂
Thank you CI! The stories all came in a flash (of my camera). 🙂
Selfishness, greed, and worriation…quite the combo for self-destruction.
Yes indeed, Kym… or, rather, illusory self-gratification! 🙂
That first story reminded me of our common saying down here: “What goes around, comes around.” The second story just made me laugh — I wonder if the fellow thought his eventual end was an ‘upper’ or a ‘downer’?
Yes, Linda, we have that same saying here. It’s rather karma-like in its viewpoint or background. However, things are, i feel, more like what i said to Irene (later) up above.
Fantastic photograph, Tom!
Thanks, Sabine.
Karma just come in right on time..beautiful Tom
Yes, well, read what was written to Irene up above, please. 🙂
Oh, yeah i just did..
I laughed at the last story. I would love to see a Monarch again but enjoyed the close-up photo instead.
Thanks, Jane. Insight and balance of mind include great humor too. 🙂
I guess his soul was still worried about whats down(on the ground he is laid)
Understand the mind and transcend fear, KA, and you will be beyond what’s down. 🙂
Gorgeous capture of the Monarch, very nice, Tom!
Interesting tales that make you think and a beautiful Monarch perched on a Coneflower – right place/right time when you happened along.
Two wonderful reflective aphorisms for everyone.
I love close up photography. Just tested one with an extension tube. https://www.aperturenoob.com/meike-neweer-extension-tubes-review/