Once many years ago, a ship was being built on the dockyard in Holland. It was necessary to find a long and tough log to make the keel of the ship. Two workers found one log on the yard where the wood for ships was kept.
- Look, - one of them said, - what a nice log. Let’s take it…
The other one examined the log carefully and shook his head.
- No, - he said, - we cannot use this log.
- Why?
- Can you see this small wormhole? It seems there are worms inside already.
- That’s nothing. What can such a small wormhole do to such a big and tough log? You can hardly notice it. Let’s take it!
They were arguing for a while. The more careful worker finally agreed to take the log, and later the craftspeople made a keel for the ship.
The ship was out in the sea for quite a long time, and there were no storms that could harm it. However, one sunny day it became to sink for no apparent reason. When the divers were sent to examine the sunken ship, they found out that the worms inside had multiplied and finally grinded the wood down. That small wormhole became fatal for that large ship.
The same concerns a soul. If you do not kill a worm of passion at the right moment, it will multiply and cause even more new sins. It will harm the healthy tissues until it finally captures all the corners of the soul.
Prepared by The Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION