Peanuts or Life?

There is an old story about a monkey who spied some peanuts in a glass bottle. They looked so good that he couldn't resist putting his hand in to grab a handful. Well, his hand slip through the neck of the bottle without any trouble. However, when he clutched a fistful of peanuts, no matter what he did, he couldn't pull his hand out of the bottle. He could either let go and get on with life, or hold onto the peanuts (which he couldn't get out anyway), and risk being taken captive by a hunter. The story I knew ends with the monkey being captured and spending the rest of his life in captivity.

Which is more important - the life that enables you to enjoy peanuts or the peanuts that makes your life enjoyable?

Many don't seem to be able to differentiate this, and sad to say, I am referring to human beings here. There have been instances of people clinging onto their precious belongings and perishing along with a fire. Of late, even though warnings have been given to villagers to flee from the Merapi volcano in Indonesia, following signs that point to a potentially powerful volcanic eruption, many have drifted back to their homes as they felt that the danger was either not imminent or simply overrated. Last week, a friend related the story of a woman who perished while waiting in her car which had broken down on an expressway. For some reasons, the woman chose to remain in her car instead of moving to a safer place, and within moments, her car was flattened by a container truck.

There are less obvious parallels in other contexts.

Case No. 1
A former colleague who clocked at least 12 hours each day in the work week, and then burning her weekends on work as well. Her body eventually broke down, requiring at least 1 week's hospitalization and many days of rest thereafter. In the process, her marriage ended as well.

Case No. 2
A person I know had to endure a painful operation to remove some growth, which apparently grew as a result of stress or neglect. She has poured her life and soul into her work, and still does.

Case No. 3
Just last week, I opted to leave my daughter outside her preschool centre and head for my office, instead of waiting till she has entered the classroom. I may have saved 5 mins for myself but in that 5 mins, anything could have happened to a 6-year old left waiting outside her classroom, especially in an estate where a sex predator who preys on little girls is still at large. For the rest of that morning, I was laden with guilt, wondering if she was alright.

Well, perhaps we should all reflect regularly as we make choices - are we exchanging lives for peanuts?

May God bless you,
Thomas