A young man used to write poetry, yet no one seemed to recognize the value of this talent.
Even his family members would constantly taunt him, saying, "You are good for nothing; you just waste your time scribbling on paper."
Consequently, a deep sense of inferiority took root within him.
He confided his distress to a friend who was a jeweler. Handing him a stone, the jeweler said, "Do me a small favor.
This is a precious stone. Go and find out its worth from various people, but whatever you do, do not sell it." The young man took the stone and set out.
First, he approached a scrap dealer. The scrap dealer said, "Give me this stone for five rupees."
Next, he went to a vegetable vendor.
The vendor suggested, "Trade this stone with me for a kilogram of potatoes; I can use it as a weight.
" The young man then visited a sculptor.
The sculptor remarked, "I could carve a statue out of this stone; give it to me for a thousand rupees.
" Finally, the young man took the stone to a gem expert.
After examining the stone, the expert declared, "This is a priceless diamond—an uncut gem.
Even millions of rupees would not be enough to pay for it."
By the time the young man returned to his jeweler friend, his sense of inferiority had completely vanished. And he had received a profound message.