THE THORN OF ATTACHMENT

There was a time when HH Shri Nathji was going for a morning walk in the city of Lucknow in Northern India.
Just as he passed by the houses, an old lady spotted him and rushed out of her home, bringing a beautiful rose in her hand.
"Maharaj!" she said, "Sire! Stop for a moment and let me offer my salutations to you. I also wish to give you this flower which was the finest one in my garden this morning!"
HH Shri Nathji greeted the lady and took the flower from her hand gracefully.
Then he said to her: "O Dear Mother! This flower is so beautiful, probably the best in your garden! But there is a terrible thorn attached to it!"
"O I am so sorry!" said the old lady in a state of alarm and took the flower from HH Shri Nathji's hand and began to examine it carefully.
She said finally: "Maharaj! I can find no thorn in it. But then maybe my eyesight is too weak. You are a young man and would know better!"
HH Shri Nathji said: "O Dear Mataji, mother! I am not referring to any thorn on the stalk of the flower! I am referring to an invisible thorn in the flower.
"Just see how beautiful the flower is! It has captured my heart and indeed will capture the hearts of all who look upon it!
"But one day this flower is going to fade away and die. Can you imagine the hurt it is going to cause the heart that was attached to it?
"THE FADING AWAY OF THE FLOWER IS THE HIDDEN THORN IN THE FLOWER!"
"Indeed so it is in the world. When we give our hearts to the things of the world, our heart is bound to break, because everything in the world is perishable and vanishes with time."
"The perishable world cannot contain everlasting happiness. Everlasting happiness lies only in

God who is Eternal and Everlasting Himself!"