The Emperor and The Seed

By Author Unknown

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to
choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or
his
children, he decided something different. He called young people in
the
kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down
and
choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to
give
each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to
plant
the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with

what you h ave grown from this one seed. I will then judge the
plants
that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others,
received
a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She
helped
him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered
it
carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had
grown.
After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk
about
their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4
weeks, 5
weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about
their
plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure.
Six
months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had
killed
his seed.

Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling
didn't
say anything to h is friends, however. He just kept waiting for his
seed
to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought
their
plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he
wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened,
Ling
felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took
his
empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the
variety
of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all
shapes
and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other

kids laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey
nice
try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young

people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants,
trees
and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you
will
be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted

Ling at th e back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his
guards
to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows
I'm a
failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is
Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him.
The
emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then
announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"

Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How
could he
be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a
seed.
I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back
to me
today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of

you, except Li have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When
you
found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for
the
one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty
to
bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will
be
the new emperor!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, y ou will reap miracles.

But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, It will determine what you will
reap
tomorrow, The seeds y ou now scatter, Will make life worse or
better,
your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will
enjoy
the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

Have the courage to say no.
Have the courage to face the truth.
Do the right thing because it is right.
These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."
W. Clement Stone