The emperor

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to
choose
his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his
children, he
decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom
together
one day.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I

have decided to choose one of you."

The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give
each
one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the
seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have

grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring,
and
the one I choose will be the next emperor!"


One boy named Pal was there that day and he, like the others, received a

seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped
him
get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it
carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had
grown.


After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about
their
seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Pal kept checking his
seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by.
Still
nothing.


By now, others were talking about their plants but Pal didn't have a
plant,
and he felt like a failure. Six months went by -- still nothing in Pal's

pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and
tall
plants, but he had nothing. Pal didn't say anything to his friend,
however.
He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their
plants to the emperor for inspection. Pal told his mother that he wasn't

going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Pal felt
sick to
his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to
the
palace. When Pal arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown
by
the other youths. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Pal put
his
empty pot on the floor and many of the other kids laughed at him. A few
felt
sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."


When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young
people.
Pal just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and
flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be
appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Pal at
the
back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him
to
the front. Pal was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he

will have me killed!"


When Pal got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Pal,"
he
replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor
asked
everyone to quiet down. He looked at Pal, and then announced to the
crowd,
"Behold your new emperor! His name is Pal!"


Pal couldn't believe it. Pal couldn't even grow his seed. How could he
be
the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave
everyone
here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring
it
back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds which would not grow.


All of you, except Pal, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.
When
you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for
the
one I gave you. Pal was the only one with the courage and honesty to
bring
me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the
new
emperor!"


If you plant honesty, You will reap trust
If you plant goodness, You will reap friends
If you plant humility, You will reap greatness
If you plant perseverance, You will reap victory
If you plant consideration, You will reap harmony
If you plant hard work, You will reap success
If you plant forgiveness, You will reap reconciliation
If you plant openness, You will reap intimacy
If you plant patience, You will reap improvements
If you plant faith, You will reap miracles

So be careful what you plant now,
It will determine what you will reap tomorrow.
The seeds you now scatter,
Will make life worse or better your life or the ones who will come
after.
Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits,
Or you will pay for the choices you plant today.