THE OLD LADY

 “Dad, I’m sorry about yesterday. Something wonderful happened which I’ll tell you all about later. But today, I promise to visit the Well of Wealth for you.”

The Carpenter smiled. “Thanks, son. I’m sorry I upset you last night. But you can’t miss a day, so I had to go. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Then, giving him a dollar, he said:
“For centuries, people in this village
have made it a habit to visit the Well
of Wealth every day without fail. Give
generously to the Well, my son, and it
will give generously in return.”

Rich took the dollar and practically ran with the notebook up the path to the Well. He soon came to the Old Lady who was, again, sitting with a glass of chilled water in her hands.

“I came back to say thank you, and to get your number. I’m starting a Carpentry and Wood Care business, and I’m going to ask the Plumber for some advice on what I need to do to franchise it later. Then I want to speak to the Rower about  serving all the boats on the river. I’d like to have a workshop at his Boathouse.”

“Well, well, well. That sounds just fine,” said the Old lady. “And have you been making good use of that notebook?”

“Oh, yes, thank you.”

Rich looked at the water in the Old Lady’s hand. She hadn’t drunk it, and it  reminded him again of the Water from the Well of Wealth. It made him think of the water in the fountain, in the garden. It made him think of the water in the river and in the sea.

He thought very hard about the water, and what each person he had met was doing with it. All that everyone in the village seemed to do with the Water  from the Well was to drink it.

But everyone he met yesterday seemed to value the water in a different way. It seemed that the last thing they needed to worry about was having enough to drink. They found the value in a different way – but also in a much bigger way.

He knew that there was something here he needed to understand. Through his journey yesterday, there was always more water than he could possibly  use, and it kept getting bigger and bigger.

“Water, water, everywhere. And not a drop to drink.”

Rich began to gain further clarity. He nodded towards the glass of water. “So what is that for?”

“Few are like you, Rich. Few come asking to be wealthy. Many people come to me looking for the well of Wealth, so I point them to the Well. But wouldn’t you know, most don’t even ask that.

They come and simply tell me they are thirsty.”
“To those people, I give the glass of water.”
“Once they have quenched their thirst, they don’t take either path. They simply turn around and go back home.”


 Succeed, sustain or survive. It’s all a matter of choice.”

It was true. Anyone could have made the journey Rich had made yesterday. Most didn’t because they weren’t willing to invest the necessary time to succeed.

It was their choice.

Rich remembered what the Inn Keeper had said:
“Then why did you help me?”
“Because you asked. And I sent you to the person who had the right vision.”
“The Optometrist. I never did find out his vision.”

“If you don’t see it, you know the answer. What you see is always what you get.”

The Old Lady confided, “But Rich, I will tell you this.


 Never give up the search for what comes next, because one day you will find it. When you find it, you will realize that whilst the Well of Wealth springs from our Words, what comes next is Wealth beyond Words.”