An Instant Spiritual Awakening | A Short Story

John was a middle-aged man living in a small town every day he woke up early ate breakfast alone and went to work at the factory his life was the same each day but deep inside John felt like something was missing he couldn't shake the feeling that there was a hole in his heart John had a son named Michael Michael was grown up and lived in the city he visited his father once a month they would sit on the porch and talk about work the weather and the news but they never talked about how they really

felt one morning as John walked to work he saw a bright red bird land on a fence next to him it chirped three times and flew away the next day the same thing happened and the day after that too John thought it was strange maybe it's a sign he whispered that weekend Michael came to visit hi Dad he said giving John a hug they sat down to eat lunch you look tired Michael said I guess I am John replied I've been thinking a lot lately about what Michael asked oh just life John said not wanting

to worry his son later that week John was at the grocery store when a little girl hand handed him a yellow flower for you she said with a big smile John was surprised thank you he said but the girl had already run back to her mother these small events kept happening John found a book on a park bench called the simple path a stranger said to him have a wonderful day with a big grin johon felt like the world was trying to tell him something one evening johon sat on his porch watching the sunset the

sky was painted with pink and orange colors as he looked out everything else seemed to fade away his worries about work his lonely house all of it disappeared he felt peaceful for the first time in a long time you see sometimes we get so caught up in our thoughts and feelings we think and worry so much that we forget to notice the simple things around us but what if the answer to our troubles is right in front of us John remembered remember a story he once heard it was about standing in a forest feeling the

soft ground under your feet looking up at the tall trees for a moment you feel like you're part of the forest you're not just someone standing in it you belong there this feeling is called Oneness it's when you feel connected to everything around you our minds like to make things complicated we think we have to work hard to find happiness or peace but maybe it's not about working harder maybe it's about noticing the simple things the next time Michael visited he noticed a change in his father you seem different dad he said Jon smiled softly

I've been trying to enjoy the little things he said like the sunset or the sound of the birds Michael looked puzzled does that help it does John replied it makes me feel connected to the world Michael Shrugged I don't have time for that he said work is so busy John nodded I used to feel that way too one afternoon John met an old man sitting on a bench feeding the birds the old man smiled and said beautiful day isn't it John nodded and sat down next to him it sure is the old man said sometimes

we look so hard for answers that we miss what's right in front of us johon felt like the old man could see into to his heart I feel like I'm missing something John admitted I don't know what it is the old man chuckled softly have you ever just watched a flower bloom he asked not thinking about what kind of flower it is or how long it will last just watching it johon shook his head I guess I haven't try it the old man said when you look at something without all the thoughts and labels you

see it for what it really is and sometimes you see yourself too that evening John went home and found a flower in his garden he sat and watched it he noticed the colors the shape of the petals the way it moved in the breeze he didn't think about anything else and for a moment he felt that peace wash over him again he started to understand the missing piece wasn't something he could find outside of himself it was inside it was about being present letting go of all the extra thoughts that filled his mind the next

time Michael visited John shared his thoughts I've been finding peace in simple things he said like what Michael asked like watching the sunset or listening to the birds John replied it makes me feel connected Michael frowned I don't see how that helps he said I have too much to do JN smiled gently maybe that's when you need it the most Michael changed the subject I have to get back to the city soon he said lots of work to catch up on as the years went by Jon continued to find joy in the simple things he

felt fulfilled and happy one morning he didn't wake up he had passed away peacefully in his sleep Michael came back to the small town for the funeral he felt sad and also though a bit guilty he realized he hadn't spent much time with his father lately after the service Michael went to his father's house to sort through his things on the table he found a journal inside were notes and thoughts that John had written down one entry caught Michael's eye today I sat and watched a flower bloom I felt connected to everything around me the

worries and fears faded away I wish Michael could feel this peace Michael felt tears in his eyes he decided to try what his father had written about he went out to the garden and found the same flower he sat and watched it just like his father had at first his mind was full of thoughts about work about his father about everything he needed to do but slowly he began to notice the colors of the flower the way the petals opened the gentle Sway in the breeze for a moment he felt a peace he had never

felt before the worries faded away he felt connected to the world around him Michael remembered another entry from his father's Journal when we let go of our thoughts and just be present we find the peace that's always been there he realized that this was the secret his father had found it wasn't something big or far away it was in the simple Act of being PR present of noticing the world around him Michael stayed in the small town a bit longer he walked the paths his father had walked he sat on the bench where his father

had met the old man he watched the sunsets that his father had loved when he returned to the city Michael was different he still worked hard but he took time each day to be present he watched the sunrise in the morning he listened to the birds outside his window he found peace in the simple things one day a coworker asked him you seem happier lately what's changed Michael smiled I learned to notice the little things he said to be present in the moment the cooworker looked confused that's it yes Michael replied it's simple but it

makes a big difference he remembered his father's gentle smile and the wisdom he had shared Michael felt grateful even though his father was gone his lessons lived on sometimes we think we need to do big things to find happiness we think we need to change who we are or find something new but often happiness is in the simple things it's in being present and noticing the world around us when you stop searching so hard and simply be you might find that what you were looking for was there all along and maybe just maybe you'll smile

and laugh at how how simple it all is Michael did and his life was all the Richer for it thanks to his father's simple but profound secret if you like the video you might also like this one [Music]