The Monk’s Daughters

In Kyoto, a Japanese monk named Onishi San shared a profound story about perspective. He spoke of a man with two daughters: one sold umbrellas, and the other sold sandals. The man often felt distressed—when it rained, he worried about his younger daughter's sandal sales; when it was sunny, he fretted over his elder daughter's umbrellas. Onishi San advised him to change his perspective: on sunny days, celebrate the success of the sandal business; on rainy days, rejoice in the booming umbrella sales. This shift in outlook transformed the man's life, teaching him to focus on the positives rather than dwelling on what he couldn't control.