It seems to me that in the past week or so, several GOOD PEOPLE I know have suffered tragic losses. Some have lost health or wealth. Some have lost dear friends or loved ones. Some have lost happiness and hope, or even the very will to go on another step. Today's parable is dedicated to all of you, with my undying love. -- Haylee V

Reaping the Harvest

A farmer had two sons, who were always trying to one-up each other. Whatever the younger one would try to do, the elder would try to do better, or harder, or longer, and vice versa.

Soon, the contests got out of hand. The field lay ready for harvest; the grain hung heavy from the stalks.

"I will reap the harvest myself!" cried the younger son. "I'm much better with the scythe than you are, brother dear. I'm willing to bet that by sundown, I'll have the whole field threshed. Then father will know who the better son is."

So saying, the brother headed to the field, scythe in hand. It was still the cool of the day, as the sun was still inching its way skyward. The brother worked diligently, and soon had cleared the first few rows. The sun was beginning to beat down stronger, but on the son worked.

As the noontime hour approached, the son began to get tired. The sun was now high in the sky, and beat mercilessly down upon the ill-prepared son, for he had forgot to cover his head or to take any water skin with him. He sat in the newly plowed row, hungry, parched, and sunburned.

"Surely I can rest for a bit. I still have plenty of time left to harvest the rest of my fields."

So saying, the younger son headed indoors to the shade provided, where a hot meal and cool drink awaited him.

"Tired already?" the elder brother jeered. "Then rest, and I'll show you how a REAL MAN handles the harvest."

So saying, the elder brother gathered his sickle and headed to his side of the field to begin.

Although he also worked diligently, he found that he could get no more done than his brother. Cutting the stalks, binding them, threshing the grain and then gathering it together in the storehouse, and then burning the chaff proved too much for just one man to handle. At sundown, the elder son came in, weary and forlorn

"It appears that the task is even too great for me, brother dear. The harvest is just too great."

With that, the father smiled broadly. "Tomorrow, my children, I shall show you how WE, working TOGETHER, can bring in the harvest. Rest now -- both of you -- and we will begin at sunrise."

The next day, the father woke his sons up at the crack of dawn.

"Jacob," he said to the eldest, "You are good with the plow and thresher. You will gather and bundle the cut stalks."

"David," he called to the younger son, "You are good with sickle and scythe. You will cut the stalks. I will thresh the grain and burn the chaff.

Having been assigned their tasks, the three began to harvest the field. By lunch time, they had completed the harvest, and gathered inside for a celebratory lunch.

"Working together," the father explained, "We accomplished what we could not separately. Remember well this lesson, my dear sons."

Moral:

Burdens shared are burdens lessened.

Often, when faced with an overwhelming task, we like to "go it alone", shunning the help of those perhaps more skilled. This is also true when we are troubled, as we don't typically want to bother others with our affairs. but when we DO reach out, our hearts are always lifted, and our loads always seem lighter.

So I say to you, dear friends: Be well. Be happy. Be blessed. Always. -- Haylee V