[Jokes] Curiosity (fwd)

[Chris McKenna]

-- 
Chris 'Awkward' McKenna

cmckenna at sucs.org
www.sucs.org/~cmckenna


The essential things in life are seen not with the eyes,
but with the heart

Antoine de Saint Exupery


---------- Forwarded message ----------

A man's car broke down as he was driving past a beautiful old monastery He 
walked up the drive and knocked on the front door. A monk answered, listened 
to the man's story and graciously invited him to spend the night.

The monks fed the man and led him to a tiny chamber in which to sleep. The 
man thanked the monks and slept serenely until he was awakened by a strange 
and beautiful sound.

The next morning, as the monks were repairing his car, he asked about the 
sound that had woke him.

"We're sorry," the monks said. "We can't tell you about the sound. You're 
not a monk."

The man was disappointed, but eager to be gone, so he thanked the monks for 
their kindness and went on his way.

During quiet moments afterward, the man pondered the source of the alluring 
sound. Several years later the man the man happened to be driving in the 
same area. He stopped at the monastery on a whim and asked admittance. He 
explained to the monks that he had so enjoyed his previous stay, he wondered 
if he might be permitted to spend another night under their peaceful roof. 
The monks agreed, and so the man stayed with them again.

Late that night, he heard the strange beautiful sound. The following morning 
he begged the monks to explain the sound. The monks gave him the same answer 
as before.

"We're sorry. We can't tell you about the sound. You're not a monk."

By now the man's curiosity had turned to obsession. He decided to give up 
everything and become a monk, for that was the only way he could learn about 
the sound. He informed the monks of his decision and began the long and 
arduous task of becoming a monk.

Seventeen years later, the man was finally established as a true member of 
the order.

When the celebration ended, he humbly went to the leader of the order and 
asked to be told the source of the sound.

Silently, the old monk led the new monk to a huge wooden door. He opened the 
door with a golden key. That door swung open to reveal a second door of 
silver, then a third of gold and so on until they had passed through twelve 
doors, each more magnificent than the last.

The new monk's face was awash with tears of joy as he finally beheld the 
wondrous source of the beautiful mysterious sound he had heard so many years 
before......
.
.
.
But, I can't tell you what it was...
.
.
.
Because you're not a monk !