Nasrudin Is Dead

"Nasruddin was in a philosophical frame of mind: “Life and Death—who can say what they are?” His wife looked up from her cooking and said, “You men ore all alike— unpractical. Anyone can fell that when a man’s extremities are rigid and cold, he is dead.” 

Nasruddin was impressed by his wife’s efficient wisdom. One day he was out in the snow when his hands and feet went numb. “I must be dead,” he thought. Then came a further thought: “If I am dead, what am I doing walking about? I should be lying down like a normal corpse.” Which is exactly what he did. 

An hour later, a group of traveller’s, finding him by the roadside; fell to arguing among themselves about whether he was dead or alive. Nasruddin yearned to cry out, “Fools, can’t you see my extremities are rigid and cold?” But he knew better than to say that, for corpses do not talk. 

They finally concluded he was dead and put him on their shoulders to take him to the cemetery. They hadn’t gone a mile when they came to a forking of the ways. A fresh dispute arose as to which road led to the burial ground. Nasruddin put up with this till he could take it no longer. Then he sat up and said: “Excuse me, gentleman, but the road to the cemetery is the one to your left. I know that corpses do not speak, but I have broken the rule this once and I assure you it will not happen again.” 

When Reality clashes with a rigidly held belief, Reality is generally the loser."

 

from the book "Song Of The Bird" by Anthony de Mello

...in truth, OdiliaCarmen