A king once offered a prize. Anyone could get it if he painted the best picture of peace. Many famous artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures and among them there were only two he really liked. But he had to choose between them.
The first picture was of a quiet lake. Around the lake were peaceful mountains. Above them was a blue sky with white clouds. Everyone seeing this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.
The second picture had mountains too. But few trees could be seen. Above them was a dark, angry sky. A heavy rainstorm was happening. Down the side of the mountain ran a powerful waterfall. It did not look peaceful at all. However, the king felt it was special. At midnight, the king looked carefully at the second picture again. Suddenly, he found behind the waterfall a small tree growing between two rocks. A mother bird built her home in the tree. There, in the middle of all the noise of rushing water and frightening skies, that mother bird sat in perfect peace.
Which picture do you think the king chose? The king chose the second picture because he thought it better expressed peace. "Peace does not mean you must be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or pain. The real meaning of peace is to be right in the middle of all those difficult experiences, and still be calm and sure of yourself in your heart," said the king.
