There was a man
who came to an elder and said:
“I’d like to find the way to God. Help me!”
The elder looked at the man attentively and asked him:
“First of all, please tell me if you have ever loved anyone?”
The guest replied:
“I’m not interested in worldly things like love and the like. I want to find God!”
“Please think again: have you ever loved a woman, a child, or just anyone else?”
“Didn’t I tell you that I’m not your regular guy?! I’m a person who is seeking God, and I don’t care about anything else.”
The elder’s eyes were filled with deep sadness, and he responded:
“It’s impossible. First you have to learn what it means to genuinely love anybody. It will be your first step to God. You are asking about the final step but you haven’t yet climbed the first one.”
Translated
by The Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION