A scholar stood in his yard, holding an axe and eyeing two persimmon trees. One tree yielded a plentiful harvest of astringent fruit—difficult to enjoy fresh. The other bore only a few sweet and delicious Hachiya persimmons. Frustrated by the meager results and the space the trees occupied, the scholar decided that one of them had to go. As he stood lost in thought, his wife quietly approached and said:
“This one may produce only a few fruits, but they are sweet and fresh. And though the other tree’s persimmons are bitter, they can be dried into flavorful treats or soft slices of dried fruit.”
Hearing her words, the scholar realized he had been too hasty, judging only by what he could see at first glance. Regretful, he lowered his axe and chose to keep both trees.
When we judge based only on surface appearances, we risk overlooking hidden value. Sometimes, we need to pause, lay down our axe, and ask ourselves if there’s something we’ve yet to notice. And when we do, we just might find ourselves enjoying both fresh, sweet persimmons and dried ones too.
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