There once was a man stranded on a deserted island. It doesn't matter how he got there. He was just there. Alone.
The first day, he did nothing but yell, scream and cry over his horrible predicament. He cursed God. How could this happen to him? What was he going to do? He would never be found.
He was stuck here forever.
Eventually he grew hungry. He searched for something to eat. Some fruit, perhaps? No fruit trees. He tried his hand at fishing. He stood in the water for hours, hoping to spear just one fish on the end of a stick. No such luck. He gave up, threw himself down on the sandy shore and angrily blamed God.
"How could you do this to me, God?" he shouted. "I am stranded, alone, hungry and I can't even catch a fish! I am going to starve to death!"
As he threw his temper tantrum on the beach, something hard hit him in the head. He began to curse louder. He didn't have to worry about starving to death. Now he was going to die from a cracked skull.
On a deserted island. Alone......
Of course, his skull was not cracked but he did have a big lump on his head. From a coconut. It fallen from a tree and landed directly on his head. He was surrounded by coconut trees. Dozens and dozens of coconut trees.
He could eat the coconuts.......
So, he gathered coconuts. For weeks and weeks he ate nothing but coconuts.
He munched on coconut meat.........
He drank coconut milk........
And complained to God every day that he was sick and tired of coconuts!
The sun was so strong. His skin was burned and his lips were dry and cracking. At night, the air was cold. The wind was brutal at times and he needed shelter. He had no idea what to do. He didn't have a saw, a knife, or a hammer and nails. Nothing. .
"Oh, my God!" he cried. "I am going to die from exposure."
He was angry, hopeless and helpless. He sat down in a pile of empty coconut shells and wept bitterly.
And then, he had an idea............
He could make a little hut from fallen twigs, branches and all those discarded coconut shells.
Okay. It looked nothing like this, but I am sure you get the picture!
Sitting in the shade of his coconut hut, eating his dinner of coconut meat, he finally made peace with God.
"OK, God. I am content. I have shelter and I have food. It might not be the best, but it is keeping me alive. Thank you for keeping me alive."
The months went by and man was happy. He thanked God every day for life. He grew to love the island. It was beautiful. Peaceful. He spent time exploring. He marveled at the flowers, the trees, the birds, the crystal blue waters. He could live here forever.
Then one night a terrible storm came. It rained. It poured. Thunder and lightening filled the sky. He sat in his hut, dry and content. And then, the unthinkable happened. His hut was struck by lightening!
In an instant, it burst into flames and burned to the ground.
The next morning, all that remained was a pile of smoking ash.
The poor man had finally reached the end of his rope. It was over.
"Oh, my God", he cried. "I am finished. You have taken everything from me and I no longer wish to live!"
He climbed up to highest point of the island and decided to jump off the edge and into the deep, dark waters below.
And then he saw it. In the distance...... a boat! It was headed straight for the island. He ran back to shore, jumping up and down and yelling for help!
You know what happens next. He was rescued.
Safe and secure inside the boat, he said, " I can't believe you found me! How long were you searching for me?"
"We weren't searching," they said. " We had no idea anything or anyone was out here until we saw your smoke signals!"
You already know the moral of the story.
If you don't, I am sure you will figure it out. :)
And this is my Daily Cyn......
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