Yoga Articles and Essays
by Charles MacInerney

Follow Your Bliss
Expanding Paradigms - Spring 2002

The following story is based upon an email that circulated around the internet a few years ago.

An American businessman, vacationing in Mexico, watched a local fisherman set out every morning, and return in the afternoon with fish.

One day the fisherman returned to shore early. The business man approached, obviously curious. "Why are you back so early?" The fisherman held up a string of fish, smiling. "The fish were biting today and I caught what I needed in an hour."

"What will you do with the rest of the day?" The fisherman grinned and replied "After lunch I will take a siesta. In the afternoon I will play with my children and in the evening I will make music with my friends."

The American saw an opportunity to be of service. "No, no, no! You have it all wrong! Now listen carefully. I am a successful business man and the advice I am going to give you is worth a lot of money".

"When the fish are biting, that is precisely when you do stay out. The extra fish that you catch you will sell to the fish vendor. Within a year you will be able to afford a second boat, and within 10 years you will have a small fleet. "Then you will have enough volume that you can bypass the middle man and open your own fish market. As you grow, of course, you will have to move to Mexico City to run your business more efficiently. In 20 years you will have so much business you will need to move to New York to handle your fishing empire."

The business man paused, seeming very satisfied with his advice. The fisherman, a little confused asked "and what then?" The business man got a big smile on his face and said "Well this is the best part. After 30 years you sell everything and retire to Mexico where you can spend the rest of your days fishing in the morning, taking a siesta after lunch, and in the evenings you can make music with your friends!"

Namaste'