"You are, at this moment, standing right in the middle of your own 'acres of diamonds.'"
~ Earl Nightingale
Are you familiar with the story - and the book - Acres of Diamonds by
Russell H. Conwell?
Russell delivered his first "Acres of Diamonds" talk in 1869 and repeated it more than 6000 times.
Here is a summary of the story:
There was a man, named Al, who lived on a productive farm in the Middle East with his lovely wife and children. On his land, which
was nestled alongside a river, there were beautiful gardens and orchards. Al was a happy man. He felt wealthy because he felt he had everything he needed and more.
One day he heard about precious metals and stones that could be found underground, and that if he found even a few diamonds, he could have many farms, not just one. Suddenly, he was no longer satisfied with what he had.
So Al sold his farm and went searching across the Middle East and
Europe for a diamond mine. He never found a mine or even one precious stone. In fact, in his quest for greater wealth, he spent all that he had and ended up penny-less. Completely spent in all ways, he cast himself into the sea.
But the man who bought Al's land was thoroughly grateful for the farm and his family. He often sang while he lovingly worked the land and cared for the animals on it.
One day he noticed a sparkle in a stream that ran through the land. Yes,
that was a diamond. And there were more. The second farmer found not one or two diamonds, not one or two acres of diamonds, he found many acres of diamonds, which were there all along.
There are a number of possible messages, stirrings, and take-aways in this story.
What, if anything, is this story saying to you now? Continue to listen. Watch for what may appear as you go about your day. Be ready for a meaningful dream as you sleep. More
guiding wisdom may come to you in the days ahead as the story simmers in your soul.
Let's start by being like the second farmer, grateful for all that we have.
Consider humming or singing or playing music you love while you work.
With faith, hope, and love,
Charlene
P.S. - If you wish to read the story, I see there is a free Kindle version of it on
Amazon.
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