The Good Neighbor

A building. When you look at it from the front, you'll think the building is one way; from the back, it'll seem entirely different. From the left side, it appears one way; from the right, another. The view from above is something else altogether. The building looks different from every angle—the same building can even appear to be different buildings—yet there's only one building. It's simply your way of looking, your position, that creates these different buildings in your eyes.

Want to get to the roof? Take the stairs or ride the elevator—the rooftop is the same either way. You might say, "The elevator is more convenient." You're absolutely right. The elevator is more comfortable precisely because there's less space. And because there's less space, the elevator people can't call out and gather crowds even if they wanted to. Only the stairway people can do that kind of hollering to build up their numbers. The stairs are less comfortable precisely because there's more room. . . . Where you can settle in and sleep peacefully, the people there can't shout and holler to disturb others' peaceful sleep. Medical science also tells us that people with sleep problems tend to shout more.

Again, you might say there's more to consider here. The side where the southern breeze comes from—that's the best side, no matter how identical the building might be. Everyone loves the southern breeze, but how many are lucky enough to get that side! The rooms facing the southern breeze in the building can't be sold even when you plead with buyers "Look, look, take it! Choose, choose, take it! Just ten rupees, ten rupees, ten rupees..." style. Good things don't require you to grab people by their hands and feet to sell them; rather, it's for good things that people grab you by your hands and feet.

So come, let's live well as good neighbors in the different rooms of the same building.