The gift we carry

The Gift We Carry

By: John Kazerooni

Once there was an old man who had two sons. When the time came for them to leave home and step into their own lives, he summoned them. With calm wisdom, he handed each a small toolbox and said:

“As you journey, keep this with you always. Do not cast it aside, for it holds more than you can yet understand.”

The sons promised to honor their father’s words and set out—one traveling east, the other west. They ventured into two opposite directions of life, each to journey his own way. For east and west are not only points on a compass, but symbols of the many ways a life can unfold: one seeking comfort, the other challenge; one chasing speed, the other depth; one following the sun’s rising light, the other its setting glow. Though their roads diverged, both carried within them the same gift—the question was only whether they would keep it or cast it aside.

The son who went east carried his toolbox for many months. But as the road grew long, he grew weary. One day he thought, “This box is too heavy. It slows me down. Surely, I will walk more freely without it.” And so, he left it by the roadside, believing he had lightened his burden.

The son who went west also felt the weight of his toolbox, but he chose differently. He carried it despite the strain, and soon he began to open it, to explore its contents, and to use its tools. In moments of difficulty, he discovered that the very thing he had been tempted to abandon was the source of his solutions. What had seemed a burden became the key to progress.

Years passed. Both sons grew older. The one who had abandoned his toolbox often found himself powerless before life’s challenges. When hunger came, he had no way to provide. When obstacles appeared, he lacked the means to overcome them. Poverty and despair marked his path.

But the one who had kept his toolbox walked with strength. He met difficulties not as defeats but as opportunities to build and to grow. Wherever he went, he was welcomed, for he carried with him not only tools but also wisdom. His life became one of abundance, resilience, and dignity.

So it is with us. The toolbox the father gave his sons is none other than our own consciousness. At times, the responsibility of awareness feels heavy. It may seem easier to set it aside, to live by habit or neglect. And often, what our consciousness shows us is not what we wish to see—it may call us toward patience when we want quick results, honesty when silence feels safer, compassion when anger seems easier. The right path does not always feel like the pleasant one.

Yet when we trust it, when we use and refine it, we discover its true power. Within consciousness are tools of reflection, courage, discipline, and compassion. The more we use them, the sharper they become. The more we live with awareness, the richer and more meaningful life grows—even when it asks of us what is difficult.

We must ask ourselves, then:

Do we embrace our consciousness as a gift, even when it challenges us?

Do we allow it to guide us through difficult paths, to sharpen patience, reflection, and understanding?

Do we carry it daily, using it to build bridges, face challenges, and bring light to ourselves and others?

Do we truly use our consciousness, or let it rest unused within us?

What happens when our consciousness speaks against our temptations—do we resist, or do we surrender?

And at the deepest level, do we trust our consciousness enough to let it lead us, even when the way is not the way we would choose?

And always remember: the gift we carry may challenge us, may weigh upon us, and may lead us through paths we do not wish to take—but it is precisely this gift that shapes who we become and the good we bring into the world.

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