A short story from email which I find meaningful.
【皮鞋的来历】
很久很久以前，人类都还赤着双脚走路。有一位国王到某个偏远的乡间旅行，因为路面崎岖不平，有很多碎石头，刺得他的脚又痛又麻。回到王宫后， 他下了一道命令，要将国内的所有道路都铺上一层牛皮。他认为这样做， 不只是为自己，还可造福他的人民，让大家走路时不再受刺痛之苦。
但即使杀尽国内所有的牛，也筹措不到足够的皮革，而所花费的金钱、 动用的人力，更不知凡几。虽然根本做不到，甚至还相当愚蠢， 但因为是国王的命令，大家也只能摇头叹息。
一位聪明的仆人大胆向国王提出建言：「国王啊！为什么您要劳师动众， 牺牲那么多头牛，花费那么多金钱呢？您何不只用两小片牛皮包住您的脚呢？」 国王听了很惊讶，但也当下领悟，于是立刻收回成命，改采这个建议。 据说，这就是「皮鞋」的由来。
小哲理：
想改变世界，很难；要改变自己，则较为容易。与其改变全世界，不如先改变自己--「将自己的双脚包起来」。 改变自己的某些观念和作法，以抵御外来的侵袭。当自己改变后， 眼中的世界自然也就跟着改变了。
如果你希望看到世界改变， 那么第一个必须改变的就是自己。「心若改变，态度就会改变；态度改变， 习惯就改变；习惯改变，人生就会改变。」
Translation:
A long time ago when men walked with their bare feet, there was a king who travelled to a foreign land for a trip. As he walked with his bare feet, they were hurt by the pebbles and stones on the road. When he returned to his palace, he ordered that all the roads in the country to be laid with cow's skin (aka leather). He thought that by doing so, it would also benefit his citizens as well other than himself. However, there would not have been enough leather to lay all the roads in the country even if all the cows were to be slaughtered. It would require not only a huge amount of money, but manpower as well. Despite the impossibilities and well, stupidity, everyone could do nothing but to resign to it as this was the king's order.
A clever servant boldly suggested to the King, "Oh dear King, why would you need to go such an extent to sacrifice so many cows and spend so much money and manpower when you could just use 2 pieces of leather to wrap round your feet?" This shocked the King and made him realise his folly. Hence, the King withdrew his order and adopted the servant's suggestion. Apparently, this was how leather shoes came about.
Reflections:
It is easier to change oneself than to change the world. Instead of changing the whole world, start changing from within i.e. covering one's own feet - making adjustments to one's own perspective and actions in response to the external factors. When that happens, you'll see things in a different light.
If you wish to see changes in the world, start from yourself for "when the heart changes, the attitude will change and so will one's habit and eventually, the life will change."
Personal thoughts:
Fortunately the King was humble enough to accept the servant's suggestion. Imagine if the King were to be an egoistic and proud ruler, the servant's life would be in danger. Don't we find this scenario familiar? At work, don't we face situations where the senior management makes a decision and the rest just had to follow despite feeling that somehow, somewhere, something is not too correct? One word from the top, the bottom will start scuttling. No one dared to speak up or even make any suggestions.
To view it from another angle, if the King were to really go ahead to execute such a massive task, would he make life better for his people and the future generation? In a way, it could be boosting the economy for he needed people to supply the cows, people to process the leather, people to make measurements, lay the roads etc. Don't we see construction works on the roads most of the time?
How about if the King eventually had leather shoes to wear. He found it comfortable and ordered more to be made for himself, his royal family, his envoys, visitors, relatives etc. Does that mean this will also lead to more cows to be killed eventually?
Anyway, any action will lead to a series of chained reactions with different results. Just me to think too much and too far ahead ;p Have fun pondering :)
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