The Legend of Simon
There is an old rabbinical legend about a man named Simon who lived in Krakow, Poland. Simon repeatedly had a vivid dream in which there was a great treasure buried under a bridge in Prague, many miles away. Being a poor man, he finally decided to make the long trip to Prague to search for this treasure. When he arrived and went to the bridge, a sentry saw him probing around and demanded to know what he was doing. Simon told the sentry about his dreams and his long journey from Krakow.
“You foolish man,” the sentry replied. “Don’t you know that you can’t believe your dreams? Why I’ve dreamed many times about a man in Krakow named Simon who has a treasure under his kitchen stove, but I’ve never been so dumb as to go to Krakow in search of it. Now get along!”
So, Simon returned to Krakow, looked under his kitchen stove, and discovered a treasure which enabled him to live comfortably for the rest of his life. The rabbis always ended the story by saying: The treasure was always in Krakow, but the knowledge of it was in Prague.
What can we learn about The Legend of Simon that might apply to each of us today? I think there are 5 major lessons here:
1. A dream not earnestly pursued may never come true
Simon had a dream. The dream was vivid and he knew that if it came true, his life would never be the same. Yet, he delayed acting upon the dream. However, one day, for some unknown reason, he decided to take action to pursue that dream.
How many of us have unfilled dreams? In Simon’s case, his action was simple… travel to Prague and look under the bridge. Pursuing our dreams is not always that easy. For some, that big dream is to start a business. For others, it is to learn to play a musical instrument. In either case, without action, the dream can simply never come true. If you have a vivid dream that you have delayed pursuing, that first step could be the start of an adventure that changes your life. So, the question is, will you be like Simon?
2. A measured risk to pursue your dreams might change your life
On the other hand, the sentry was just like Simon in so many ways. He was involved in life and did his best day-after-day to achieve a meaningful life. He was also a dreamer. His dream was just like Simon’s… a treasure awaits if he could just find it. Yet, the sentry was different in that he didn’t believe his dream. He felt it would be “foolish” to pursue his dream. So, he just continued to dream and remain on watch.
The vast majority of us are like the sentry. We have dreams and aspirations but feel that the risks required to pursue those dreams are too high. We may have to give up on the “safe and comfortable” life we lead. We would rather continue to, as David Thoreau wrote, “… lead lives of quiet desperation” than take that first risky step to pursue our dream. The sentry had the same information and, presumably, the same abilities that Simon possessed regarding the dream, but Simon’s decision to pursue his dream made all the difference… that first step Simon took toward Prague was the first step toward achieving that vivid, persistent dream.
3. Life-changing knowledge must be pursued
Did you notice that the knowledge required for Simon’s dream to come true was not in his house in Krakow? To attain the needed knowledge to find the treasure, he had to look elsewhere. The requisite knowledge did not appear in the dream but required pursuit… effort.
Many of us have stopped pursuing knowledge. We believe that our on-the-job or in-the-day experience is enough to fuel our success. This may be true for some. There is no substitute for experience. However, there are times when a more concerted effort is needed to gain the knowledge needed. Learning from others – through formal education, authors, podcasts, videos, mentoring, coaching, etc. – can pay unfathomable dividends as we pursue our dreams. Simon certainly didn’t expect that the sentry could offer life-changing knowledge, but the reality is that he did. And, had Simon remained at home dreaming, he would never have gained to critical knowledge necessary.
4. The most important knowledge we ever gain may come when we least expect it
It is safe to say that Simon did not expect life-changing knowledge to come from a sentry in Prague. Yet, he had an attentive ear, then acted on what he learned.
We are often too prone to dismissing the knowledge we might gain from others that may not fit our expectations. We live life and fail to consider what we are learning. We experience failures but focus our attention on correcting the error and moving on. We hear but don’t listen. We see but don’t comprehend. We observe what others experience but fail to consider how that might apply to us.
Some of life’s greatest blessings come when we are participants, rather than observers. Most of the most memorable events of my life occurred not because I planned them, but because I was present, attentive, and participating. Like Simon, the best rewards may come by hearing, seeing, and doing the simply things.
5. The desires of our heart are often found right under our feet
For Simon, the greatest reward of his life was right under his feet his entire life. He never realized the blessings available at home.
Life and literature are filled with examples of those that believed that their greatest rewards were someplace else. They can never feel content with what they have already within their grasp.
I wonder why Simon never found the treasure in his own house. It appears the treasure was easy to find right under his stove. Is it possible that had Simon simply been diligent in doing what he should have been doing (e.g., cleaning, sweeping, maintaining, etc.), he would have found the answer to his dream? Is it possible for us that we are so busy dreaming about what could be, that we fail to find joy, happiness, and contentment right where we are today? Is the secret to our happiness right under our feet, but we are too busy chasing after dreams and aspirations that we miss it? I think there is a great learning from the example of Simon in that dreams are good, but is chasing that dream really better than being content with the life we have today?
How does the Legend of Simon speak to you today? Do you need to quit dreaming and take action? Do you need to move out of your routine and take a reasonable risk to pursue your dreams? Do you need to consider obtaining the knowledge you know you need to improve your life? Do you need to become more attentive to the beauty of life occurring all around you? Or do you need to simply become more content with the blessings you have today? I think there is something in this legend for each of us, if we will merely pause, reflect, then act.