The Secret of Happiness

A merchant sent his son to learn the secret of
happiness from the wisest of men.
The young man wandered through the desert for
forty days until he reached a beautiful castle at
the top of a mountain. There lived the sage that
the young man was looking for.
However, instead of finding a holy man, our hero
entered a room and saw a great deal of activity;
merchants coming and going, people chatting in
the corners, a small orchestra playing sweet
melodies, and there was a table laden with the
most delectable dishes of that part of the world.
The wise man talked to everybody, and the
young man had to wait for two hours until it was
time for his audience.
With considerable patience, the Sage listened
attentively to the reason for the boy’s visit, but
told him that at that moment he did not have
the time to explain to him the Secret of
Happiness.
He suggested that the young man take a stroll
around his palace and come back in two hours’
time.
“However, I want to ask you a favor,” he added,
handling the boy a teaspoon, in which he poured
two drops of oil. “While you walk, carry this
spoon and don’t let the oil spill.”
The young man began to climb up and down the
palace staircases, always keeping his eyes fixed
on the spoon. At the end of two hours he
returned to the presence of the wise man.
“So,” asked the sage, “did you see the Persian
tapestries hanging in my dining room? Did you
see the garden that the Master of Gardeners
took ten years to create? Did you notice the
beautiful parchments in my library?”
Embarrassed, the young man confessed that he
had seen nothing. His only concern was not to
spill the drops of oil that the wise man had
entrusted to him.
“So, go back and see the wonders of my world,”
said the wise man. “You can’t trust a man if you
don’t know his house.”
Now more at ease, the young man took the
spoon and strolled again through the palace, this
time paying attention to all the works of art that
hung from the ceiling and walls. He saw the
gardens, the mountains all around the palace,
the delicacy of the flowers, the taste with which
each work of art was placed in its niche.
Returning to the sage, he reported in detail all
that he had seen.
“But where are the two drops of oil that I
entrusted to you?” – asked the Sage.
Looking down at the spoon, the young man
realized that he had spilled the oil.
“Well, that is the only advice I have to give you,”
said the sage of sages. “The Secret of Happiness
lies in looking at all the wonders of the world
and never forgetting the two drops of oil in the
spoon.”