Lesson We Can Learn From 'The Drowning Man'

There is this popular children's story that I got to hear in a tv show the other day and it reminded me of the time I first heard it in my childhood. I didn't even grasp the immensity of the story at that time.

If you haven't heard the story, let me summarise it for you. So, there was this flood at a place and all the houses were submerged. Most of the people got away in rescue boats and some drowned.

There was this man who managed to get to the top of the roof. He had an unwavering faith that God would save him from dying. After waiting for some time, a rescue boat approached and they asked him to get off the roof and onto the boat. The man refused saying that God will save him.

After a little more time, another boat came and they asked him to get on board. The man refused again saying that God would come to help him. He is still faithful. The boatman shook his head in disbelief and went away.

The rain was beginning to get more and more heavy by the minute and the water level had almost risen to the level of the roof. From a distance, the man saw a helicopter approaching. They threw down a ladder and asked the man to grab on to it so that they can pull him up and save him.

The man refused to budge stating again that God was coming to help him. The helicopter too went away.

The rain got heavier, the water level rose and finally the man drowned and died. He went to heaven and asked God why he hadn't come to rescue him even though he was always so faithful.

God said, "I sent you two boats and a helicopter. What more do you want from me?"

The moral of the story is that whether you believe in a god, the universe, some invisible form of energy or even just pure coincidence, opportunities will arrive from time to time. You just have to be mindful of them and make the best of them. Don't wait for a huge sign or wait for someone to hand you a big breakthrough. When you sense things moving into place, just latch on!