Mixed Bag

Once, a villager faced many hardships. He lamented to God, "Why do I face so many problems when others seem happy?" He wept over his perceived misfortune. God appeared and instructed, "Place all your joys and sorrows in a sack and take it to the forest at the town's edge."

That night, he carried his sack to the forest. To his amazement, he found all the villagers there with their sacks. He was taken aback. Curiously, he examined their sacks. Some villagers, whom he never expected to see, were present. Some even had multiple sacks, leaving him puzzled. "Are these sacks filled with joy or sorrow?" he wondered.

God appeared before the gathering. Everyone hoped God would take their sacks away. Instead, God said, "If you wish, you may exchange your sack with anyone here." To his surprise, no one moved. All remained silent. When God inquired of one man why he didn't exchange his sack, the man replied, "The other sack is larger than mine. I don't know the proportion of joy and sorrow it contains. That's why I chose not to swap."

In that moment, the villager understood: everyone's life is a blend of joy and pain. No one is exempt from this balance.

He recognized that God had orchestrated this meeting to impart this wisdom. The villagers, too, realized that life comprises both happiness and misfortune. They returned to their homes, each carrying their original sack.