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Mapping a Successful Marriage
By Larry Fine
Many, many years ago, before the invention of the printing press, there was a
king who possessed a map of the world. This was a very rare thing because no
one had yet ever proven if the world was round or flat. Yet this king, with
great expenses had a map drawn based on many explorers and many
documents an exact duplication of the world, know and unknown, explored and
yet un-explored.
With this precious map, the king was able to set upon a mission of expansion
and prosperity for his country. He knew which areas in the world possessed
resources that his country needed and he knew where to send ships and traders
to sell those commodities that his country produced.
Using this map he was able to defend his country against invaders and win
battles against his enemies.
One day when the king was not paying attention to his young son, a mere
toddler, the boy found the map and tore it into small pieces. Imagine the anguish
of the king when he discovered that the map that had been the backbone of his
success was now reduced to tiny bits of paper.
The king was beside himself. What could be done? With out the precious map
he could not defend himself with certainty and ease as he had done before.
How could he arrange trade routes and find new customers?
The king offered a big reward for anyone that would come and re-assemble the
pieces together to re-make the map. Many people tried, but since no one knew
the shape of the world, its countries and continents, the oceans and rivers, no
one could put the pieces together in the correct order.
The king was about to give up hope when finally one wise man came and
quickly assembled the map.
The king rejoiced at the man's success.
"How did you do it?" the king exclaimed. "Every other person that tried
spend days trying before giving up and you took less than an hour! Did you
know the arrangement of the world before you started?"
"Well, I will tell you the truth. I did not know the shape of the world and all of
its inhabitants before I started. But I know that on the backside of the map
there was a drawing of a man, so I merely fixed up the image of the man and
then I glued it together and the entire world was arranged perfect in its proper
order."
Marriage is very similar to the map of the world. The human relationship is
very complex and subject to many changing elements, both from the inside and
the outside. To try to fix a marriage that is falling apart is one of the hardest
jobs in the world. However there is a second side to each marriage, which is
that of the individual person. If he can repair himself, automatically his (or her)
marriage will be repaired.
However, it is a wise man, indeed, that recognizes this.
~~~~~~~
from the March 2001 Edition Jewish Magazine
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