Once upon a time in a remote mountain range hidden from civilization, lived an old wise monk surrounded by countless students. Periodically the monk would venture down into the local village and entertain the villagers with his knowledge, and enlightenment. One of his talents was to “psychically” tell the villagers the contents in their pockets, chests, minds etc.

One day one of the monks students decided to attempt to discredit the monks special abilities. The student came up with an elaborate plan to capture a butterfly and hide it in his hands. He of course knew that the monk would know what he’s holding. The student’s plan was that the monk would correctly state the object in his hands was a butterfly, then he would proceeded to ask the monk if the butterfly was dead or alive. If the monk said the butterfly was alive, the student would crush the butterfly with his hands, so that when he opened his hands the butterfly would be dead; if the monk said the butterfly was dead, the student would open his hands and let the butterfly fly free. So no matter what the old man said, the student would prove the monk’s a fraud.

The following week the monk came down the mountain into the village and along the way, villagers would line up too ask him their most difficult questions. The student showed up and asked: “Sir, if indeed you are as wise and talented as everyone believes you are, please tell me whether the butterfly in my hand is dead or alive”

For a moment it appeared as if the monk was at a loss for words, the student thought he finally cornered the wise old monk. In a moment the monk looked the boy straight into his wide expectant eyes, then glanced at his closed hand, and slowly shook his head from side to side.

Then he said: “Son, whether the butterfly is dead or alive, is entirely in your hands!”

The same principle applies to our lives, our present, and our future.

We shouldn’t blame others because something didn’t go as we wished.

A failure should be viewed as an opportunity for a new, more prosperous beginning.

We’re responsible for our own actions, we’re responsible for what we overcome.

Our life is in our own hands, just like the butterfly.

Its all in your hands, to do what you choose with it.