Once upon a time there lived a widow with her only son. They were very poor and unhappy. The woman was getting old, began to get sick, and then became completely ill. The young man looked after her as best he could, and spent all the money he earned on medicine. But the woman’s health continued to deteriorate, and one day she told him: “My child, I heard that a good king sometimes passes along the main road, who has cures for all diseases. It would be good if you met him and asked for medicine for me, and happiness for yourself. Only this king appears in different guises, and he is not easy to recognize.” - “How will I recognize him, mother?” - asked the son. “When you meet him, you will feel joy in your heart, son,” the mother replied. The young man came to the main road along which the good king passed. Trying to recognize him, he entered into conversation with everyone who passed there. But none of the conversations brought joy to his heart. One day a young man met a decrepit old man and, having talked with him, asked how he could find a good king. The old man replied: “Your heart's eyes need to be opened. Without this you will not be able to recognize him.” And he added: “If you don’t meet him here, you won’t find him anywhere else, no matter how hard you look.” The young man politely said goodbye to the old man. When he left, the young man suddenly felt that happiness was born in his heart. He ran along the road in the direction where the old man was heading, but he was no longer visible. Then he noticed a digger on the side of the road, extracting pottery clay. “Have you seen the old man here?” – the young man asked him. “I’m busy with work and rarely look around,” answered the navvy. “What’s the matter?” “I must find the good king,” the young man answered, “and ask him for medicine for my mother, and for happiness for myself. Only I can’t manage to meet him.” - “Wait, wait! – the young man suddenly exclaimed excitedly. “For some reason I feel happiness in my heart from talking with you, although you are a simple digger.” “I had to wait a long time for your eyes to open,” said the digger and handed the medicine to the young man. “Remember that happiness has a very simple appearance.” For a moment the young man saw the beautiful face of the good king. The next moment everything disappeared. The young man, joyful, returned home and gave his mother the medicine. Having accepted it, she immediately became completely healthy and, with tears of gratitude in her eyes, hugged her son: “So happiness has come to our house.” “And the King will answer them, “Truly I say to you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40). monk Simeon of Athos Mysterious conversations or hidden truths
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru