Story Of A Slave Who Was Afraid Of Dying

Malcom X and Percy Sutton, founder of Inner City Broadcasting, were in a situation, years back, where they were both pointed gun at inside a car.

During those times, Sutton was completely uncomfortable and nervous. Then, Malcolm was a Minister and was sued.

"Mr. Minister, doesn't this disturb you?" Said, Sutton. Malcolm answered, "Doesn't what disturb me?" "You know, all those guns and bodyguards and stuffs" answered Sutton.

Malcolm answered, "To be truthful, it does. But it really make those around me feel comfortable."

He then told Percy Sutton a fable about an Arab slave who was afraid of dying.

The story goes thus;

One day a slave named Omar said to his master, "Master, O master, give me your fastest horse. I've seen the face of Death and I know it's coming. I've seen it in my dreams. Let me ride in order that I might escape it and survive." 

Concerned about the slave, the master begrudgingly complied and gave him his fastest charger. Unwittingly, the poor slave had reasoned that if he could ride all day and night, he could live to see yet another day. He mounted the horse and rode. He rode the first and second days without so much as stopping for food or drink. Finally, just before sunset on the third day and at the point of exhaustion, the slave stopped. The road he had travelled had suddenly divided into seven trails, from which he had to choose.

Hoping to choose wisely, Omar rode on. After a few moment, he switched to the trail on his right. From there he progressed for a few hours more, but again pulled his horse up short and switched to the road on his left. This wavering continued until he had ridden six trails. 

Now, in a last-ditch effort, the slave embarked on the final path, where, less than one hundred yards away, in the center of the road, standing boldly, was the face of Death. Glaring straight ahead, Death cried out, "Omar, Omar, where have you been? For three days have waited for you. What has taken you so long?

"You see, Malcolm said, "there lies the moral to the story: You can run and you can hide. You can twist and you can turn. You can waste what little precious time you have on this planet but it won't do you any good. Death is something we can't escape from. No one leaves here alive.

Responsibility, just like Death, you cannot run away from. No matter how fast you run, you will always meet it.

Malcolm added, "Each of us should make the most of our lives. We should give life our best - let's use our life wisely to chase your dreams, find our purposes, and be as happy as possible."

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What have you learnt from this story?

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Source: What Makes The GREAT Great (Dennis P. Kimbro, PH.D)

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