The wanderer is having lunch with a woman friend, an attorney in Fort Lauderdale.  A highly animated drunk at the next table insists on talking to her throughout the meal.

At one point, the friend asks the drunk to quiet down.  But he says:

"Why?  I'm talking about love in a way that a sober person never does.  I'm happy, I'm trying to communicate with strangers.  What's wrong with that?"

"This isn't the appropriate time," she said.

"You mean there are only certain times that are appropriate for showing one's happiness?"

With that, the drunk is invited to share her table.

The master says:

"We must care for our body.  It is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and deserves our respect and affection.

"We must make the best use of our time.  We must fight for our dreams, and concentrate our efforts to that end.

"But we must not forget that life is made up of small pleasures.  They were placed here to encourage us, assist us in our search, and provide moments of surcease from our daily battles.

"It is not a sin to be happy.  There is nothing wrong in -- from time to time -- breaking certain rules regarding diet, sleep and happiness.

"Do not criticize yourself if -- once in a while -- you waste your time on trifles.  These are the small pleasures that stimulate us."

The pianist Art

 Rubinstein was late arriving for lunch at a first class restaurant in New York.  His friends began to be concerned, but Rubinstein finally appeared, with a spectacular blonde, one-third his age, at his side.  Known to be something of a cheapskate, he surprised his friends by ordering the most expensive entree, and the rarest, most sophisticated wine.  When lunch was over, he paid the bill with a smile.

"I can see that you are all surprised," Rubinstein said.  "But today, I went to my lawyer's to prepare my will.  I left a goodly amount to my daughter and to my relatives, and made generous donations to charities.  But I suddenly realized that I wasn't included in the will; everything went to others.

"So, I decided to treat myself with greater generosity."

While the master was traveling to spread the word of God, the house in which he lived with his disciples burned down.

"He entrusted the house to us, and we didn't take proper care," said one of the disciples.  They immediately began to rebuild on what remained after the fire, but the master returned earlier than expected, and saw what they were doing.

"So, things are looking up: a new house," he said happily.

One of the disciples, embarrassed, told him what had actually happened; that where they had all lived together had been consumed by fire.

"I don't understand," said the master.  "What I am seeing is men who have faith in life, beginning a new chapter.  Those who have lost everything they owned are in a better position than many others, because, from that moment on, things can only improve."

The master says:

"If you are traveling the road of your dreams, be committed to it.  Do not leave an open door to be used as an excuse such as, 'Well, this isn't exactly what I wanted.'  Therein are contained the seeds of defeat.

"Walk your path.  Even if your steps have to be uncertain, even if you know that you could be doing it better.  If you accept your possibilities in the present, there is no doubt that you will improve in the future.  But if you
>eny that you have limitations, you will never be rid of them.

"Confront your path with courage, and don't be afraid of the criticism of others.  And, above all, don't allow yourself to become paralyzed by self-criticism.

"God will be with you on your sleepless nights, and will dry your tears with His love.  God is for the valiant."

The master and his disciples were traveling, and, on the road, were unable to eat properly.  The master asked some of them to go and seek food.

The disciples returned at the end of the day.  Each brought with him the little he had been able to gain through the charity of others: fruit that was already going bad, stale bread and bitter wine.

One of the disciples, however, brought with him a bag of ripe apples.

"I would do anything to help my master and my brothers," he said, sharing the apples with the others.

"Where did you get these?" asked the master.

"I had to steal them," the disciple answered.  "People were giving me only spoiled food, even though they knew that we were preaching the word of God."

"Get away with your apples, and never come back," said the master.  "Anyone who would rob for me, would rob from me."

We go out into the world in search of our dreams and ideals.  Often we make inaccessible that which is within our reach.  When we realize the error, we feel we have wasted our time, seeking in the distance what was close at hand.  We blame ourselves for making such a mistake, for our useless search and for the problems we have caused.

The master says:

"Although the treasure may be buried in your house, you will find it only if you leave in search of it.  If Peter had not experienced the pain of rejection, he would not have been chosen as the head of the Church.  If the prodigal son had not abandoned everything, he would not have been given a feast by his father.

"There are certain things in our lives that carry a seal that says: 'You will appreciate my value only after you have lost me...and recovered me.'  It does no good to try to shorten the path."

The master was meeting with his favorite disciple, and asked him how his spiritual progress was going.  The disciple answered that he was now able to dedicate every moment of his day to God.

"So, then, all that's left is to forgive your enemies," said the master.

The disciple looked at his master, startled:

"But that's not necessary.  I bear no ill will toward my enemies."

"Do you think that God bears you any ill will?" asked the master.

"Of course not," the disciple answered.

"Yet you ask for his forgiveness, don't you?  Do the same with your enemies, even though you bear them no ill will.  A person who forgives is washing and perfuming his own heart."

The young Napoleon was trembling like a reed in the wind during the ferocious bombardments at Toulon.  A soldier, seeing him that way, said to his fellow soldiers, "Look at him, he's scared to death."

"Yes, I am," replied Napoleon.  "But I go on fighting.  If you felt half the fear I feel, you would have fled a long time ago."

The master says:

"Fear is not a sign of cowardice.  It is fear that allows us be brave and dignified in the face of life's situations.  Someone who experiences fear -- and despite the fear goes on, without allowing it to intimidate him -- is giving proof of valiance.  But someone who tackles difficult situations without taking the danger into account, is proving only his irresponsibility."

The wanderer is at the feast of Saint John, with its tents, archery contests and country food.

Suddenly, a clown begins to mimic his gestures.  People laugh, and the wanderer laughs, as well, and invites the clown to have coffee with him.

"Commit to life!" says the clown.  "If you are alive, you have to shake your arms, jump around, make noise, laugh and talk to people.  Because life is exactly the opposite of death.

"To die is to remain forever in the same position.  If you are too quiet, you are not living."