FEATHERS
There is an old Jewish story…
A man overheard a story about his Rabbi, but as he did not hear the entire tale. He misunderstood and assumed the missing parts. Embellishing the tale to make it an interesting one, he proceeded throughout the synagogue, repeating it to everyone who was interested. Soon the story was spread out far and wide and the young man heard the story again, once from the original teller (the true story) in passing and many times from those who had embellished further upon his tawdry tale. Although the original story was complimentary, the final tale was scandalous.
Realizing his crime, the young man went to his Rabbi and begged forgiveness. The Rabbi was a very wise man and very respected within the community or had been, and had one simple request.
"Take a fine feather pillow, one that is stuffed overfull with the finest down, and climb to the top of the highest mountain around and tear it open."
The young man was incredulous. "That's all?"
The Rabbi replied, "Come back when you have done this for me."
The young man did as he was told, releasing the feathers onto the wind and watching them as they settled down into the surrounding valleys, some travelling for miles before falling to the earth.
He returned, clapped his hands together and said, "It is done."
The Rabbi gave him a slight smile. "Not quite. Now you must pick up each and every one of those feathers."
The young man's face went very pale. "But that is impossible."
"Quite right," nodded the Rabbi sadly. "Each time you told this story, it was like a thousand feathers in the wind. You never know where they will finally be laid to rest, and how many others they will touch on the way. It is as impossible to retrieve a rumor, even a truth, as to pick up each and every feather."
And so ended the lesson.
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