The Black Spot Story

One day a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the question paper, with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions….just a black dot in the center of the page. The professor seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following:

“I want you to write what you see there.”

The students confused, got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the professor took all the answer papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, etc. etc. etc. After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor began to explain:

“I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots. Our life is a gift given to us by God, with love and care, and we always have reasons to celebrate – nature renewing itself everyday, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see everyday…….

However we insist on focusing only on the dark spots – the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend etc

The dark spots are very small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds.

Take your eyes away from the black spots in your life. Enjoy each one of your blessings, each moment that life gives you.

Be happy and live a life positively!

Resource: Inspirational story , – Inspirational Quotes, Pictures and Motivational Thoughts.

This story makes me think of how I look at the world and especially how we search for our vocations or follow our calling in life.  See, it is important to keep in mind that vocation is not only about what we do but about who we are. When we narrowly focus on one thing as in the black dot we are not seeing things around us thus seeing our full potential.  Do we tend to stick to a routine? Do we take risks? Do we play it safe?  Evelyn and James Whitehead put it this way: “Vocation is a gradual revelation – of me to myself by God (higher power). It is who we are, trying to happen.” Our callings have to do with the kind of person we are called to be, the quality of our personhood, the values and attitudes we embody, the integrity and authenticity of our lives. From this vantage point, vocation is less about the particular things we do and more about the spirit with which we do them. “Character is not what you do,” writes James Hillman, “it’s the way you do it.”(Excerpt from Sister Angelica from VCLFF)

So when we find ourselves looking at the dark spots of life, remember it is who we are and who we are trying to be.  Let your life unfold before you, let go, explore, try new things.  It is all about the white space!