The Three Travelers

One night a group of nomads were preparing to retire for the evening, when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.

Finally, the voice spoke. "Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags. Travel a day's journey. Tomorrow night you will be both glad and sad." Afterwards, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world.

But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and deposit them in their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure. They traveled a day's journey.

That night, while making camp, they reached into their saddle bags and discovered that the pebbles they had gathered the night before had turned into beautiful and brilliant diamonds! Indeed, they were both glad and sad, just as the voice had promised. They were glad they now had beautiful and valuable diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles when they had the opportunity

If you spend time picking up the pebbles now -- learning all you can now and work hard to apply it -- your future will then transform all that effort into great rewards