The people who always try to repay the old favor will live in peace,

RETURNING FAVORS

A man with simple clothing went around and asked about Mr. Bảy Tín's house. After a lot of questions, somebody showed him the house of Mr. Bảy Tín's son. Mr. Bảy Tín had passed away 10 years ago. The house looked plain with only the son, his wife, and two nice children. After taking a cup of tea, the guest said:

"Fifteen years ago, I had a chance to stop by and got to know your father. This time when I came back, your father has passed away; I am so sorry. This house has been renovated so I can't recognize it. It is clear that you followed after your father to become a carpenter. At that time, you were small, so I didn't remember you much."

The young house owner was cheerful and talked about everything on Earth, then asked the guest to stay for dinner. The whole family sat around the table, and ate dinner, too.

The guest asked:
"How is your work now? Is it enough for you to earn a living?"
"Recently I received fewer orders than before."

People now like to use pre-made industrial wood furniture. It is hard to compete when I work in a traditional style."
"Do you have any plan to enhance your business? It will be difficult to provide for the whole family at this rate."

"I could switch to using industrial wood, but it would require lots of funding and a big factory. I am poor, so no one agrees to lend me money, and I couldn't come up with anything myself."
"Your father died and left nothing for you?"
"He did but he told me to keep it for someone else."

The guest was shook, asked:
"What did your father leave behind?"
"He left me a locked trunk and told me when someone who is able to describe the shape of the trunk comes, I have to give it back to that person. And must not open the trunk."

The guest kept silent and finished the meal.
After the meal, the guest said he was tired, so he asked to stay over. At midnight, the guest called the young host to describe the trunk privately and he was correct. The host took him down a secret cave and showed him the old trunk which was still in one piece.

At dawn when the sky was still dark, the guest took the trunk away. Everything was back to normal. But three months later, a very strange man came, made friends with the young host, gave him lots of money, provided a lawyer to help him with documents and invested in a very big factory manufacturing industrial wood. The strange man also helped him to sell all the products. The young host became rich and did not know why.

The guest never came back, but a letter came instead saying:
"Fifteen years ago, when I was in danger and ran into your house. Your father saved my life. I asked him to keep my ancestor's trunk. I really had no hope to get the trunk back. But unexpectedly, your father kept his word. You are just as special as your father by obeying his words and keeping the trunk safe for me. You need not know what was in the trunk. You should just need to know that I have returned you and your father the favor you have given to me. You deserve to become rich because you are very sincere. I advise that you keep this secret from everyone, even your wife. If you tell someone this story, all your possession will be burnt in a fire along with your whole family. Bye."

"P.S: We could have been good friends but I don't think you should be my friend."
The young host read the letter to the end and still did not understand anything when the words disappeared gradually and the whole letter dissolved into the air.

It is very hard to remember a favor that someone did for us, and harder to return the favor. Almost everyone will remember clearly that they helped others, but will not remember how others have helped them. That is the natural instinct of humans and we cannot be blamed for it. When we meet someone who has helped us, we must know that rule, they remembered carefully their favor done for us. Knowing that, we will try to have good behavior and make them happy. We must prove through good behavior that we are always grateful to them. That is enough to make them happy.

On the contrary, when we meet a person whom we have helped, we should not be surprised if they appear to be cold toward us. That is the humans' instinct. They don't remember the favor we did for them and seem ungrateful, but they really do not try to be ungrateful. We should have empathy and not remind them of the old story of what favor we did for them. It is good if they remember. It is also good and normal if they forget.

But, for us, if we have chosen to practice morality, we must be grateful, remember others' favor, and try to return that favor for good. Favor is a heavy thing in our hearts, but do not forget it. Sometimes our benefactor becomes evil, hard to keep in touch with, but we should keep that favor and try to help them change into good again.

The people who always try to repay the old favor will live in peace, and will not do evil things. Many other ethics will follow.

Written by:
Janna

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