NOT 'THERE' BUT 'HERE'

ONCE, a bird sat on the mast of a ship. When the
ship sailed through the mouth of the Ganges into
the 'black waters' of the ocean, the bird failed to
notice the fact. When it finally became aware of the
ocean, it left the mast and flew north in search of
land. But it found no limit to the water and so
returned. After resting a while it flew south. There
too it found no limit to the water. Panting for
breath the bird returned to the mast. Again, after
resting a while, it flew east and then west. Finding
no limit to the water in any direction, at last it
settled down on the mast of the ship.
What a man seeks is very near him. Still he wanders
about from place to place. As long as a man feels
that God is 'there', he is ignorant. But he attains
knowledge when he feels that God is 'here'.