Man: Rabbi, I’m nearing the end of my life and I want to make amends to all those I’ve spoken ill of. What should I do?
Rabbi: Take a bag of feathers and place one at the doorway of each person you’ve slandered.
Man: That sounds easy enough. I’ll do it.
(The man returns after placing the feathers.)
Man: I’ve placed a feather at the doorway of everyone I’ve spoken ill of. What should I do next?
Rabbi: Now, go back and retrieve every feather you placed at the entrances.
Man: But Rabbi, that’s impossible! The feathers have blown away in the wind.
Rabbi: Exactly. Just as you can’t retrieve those feathers, you can’t take back the hurtful words you’ve spoken. They spread uncontrollably, much like the feathers.
dyejo
Guest Author
J Washburn
