So, there was this teacher who asked her students to get ready for a surprise test. Of course, the students groaned good-naturedly because who likes surprise tests?
Assuring them it would be quite simple as they waited at their desks anxiously, she handed out the question papers face-down, as usual.
After all the students received their question papers, she asked them to turn the page and begin.
The students turned the paper and to their surprise, there were no questions. Just a black dot in the middle of the page.
Amused by their expressions, the teacher instructed them to write what they saw there.
The students were puzzled, confused, but they got started with the unusual test.
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Time ticked by and as the class came to an end, the teacher collected the answer papers from her students.
Then, she started reading them one by one, aloud to the class.
Every student, without exception, had gone to great lengths to describe the dot. The position, its size, the color and so on.
When she finished reading the last paper, the class was silent.
The teacher then started to explain.
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She said there would be no grading on this test. She only wanted to give them something to think about.
She went on to observe that no one had even mentioned the white part of the paper-everyone was too busy focusing on the black dot.
She gently told them that this is what happens in our lives.
We have the white paper-a blank canvas to enjoy.
Yet we have a tendency to focus on the dark spots.
Dark spots like health issues, money issues, relationship issues, hassles with a friend . . . and so on.
We forget, during those moments, that the dark spots are tiny compared to the good things in our lives.
Nevertheless, we allow these dark spots to mess with our minds.
What if, this moment, we decide to take our focus away from these black dots in our lives and choose instead, to appreciate each moment?
How about focusing on the big white space of our lives?
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Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, reflections, meditations and humor.
