The Secret of Resourcefulness \ Ben Ish Hai
There was a man who had a contract for all the fishing rights in the kingdom. One day he saw a man fishing from a pier. He ran to the palace and lodged a protest.
"This man mistakenly received a royal contract to fish," said the king. A royal decree cannot be rescinded. In order to compensate you I will give you the rights to an exclusive enterprise."
The man thought it over and said to the king, "I request the king grant me the rights to all the air in the kingdom." The king laughed,"What can you do with air?" The man responded, "Please prepare the contract and I will transfer the funds to the royal treasury to secure the rights to air."
The next day the man went to all the blacksmiths and jewelers. He demanded payment for the air they blew with their bellows to build a fire. Without air they would not be able to melt the iron and smelt the gold.
The following week the man met with the sea captains and set a price for them to pay for the winds that powered their boats. The third week he sent a bill to the homeowners who opened their windows to let in the fresh air. On the fourth week, he collected a fee from every person in the kingdom for the air they breathed every moment of their lives. Within a few days, this man became the wealthiest person in the kingdom!
This parable illustrates the invaluable trait of being resourceful. Through initiative and cleverness a person can succeed with the means at his disposal. A foolish person believes his situation is helpless. He is consumed with jealousy for the success of others instead of focusing on the options available to him.
Let us use our wisdom, energy, and creativity to pave the way to success in both our earthly and Heavenly affairs.
(Based on the parables of the Ben Ish Hai)
