The Fisherman's Parable

This story has been around so long that its origins are virtually untraceable. Many attribute it to the German writer Heinrich Boll. Others claim it to be rooted in Buddhist tradition. But none can deny the simple lesson it teaches about true wealth:

An American businessman, on a well-deserved vacation to the islands of Greece, was walking along the beach one morning when he came across a solitary fisherman just coming ashore from his daily trip to sea.

Inside the fisherman’s tiny boat were half-a-dozen huge fish, prompting the businessman to inquire as to how long it had taken to catch them.

“Only a couple of hours,” replied the fisherman as he pulled his boat onto the shore. “Every day I sell them to the fishmonger at the village market.”

“What do you do the rest of the day?” asked the businessman.

“Oh, nothing much. I sleep pretty late to begin with. By the time I’m done fishing, it’s time to go home for lunch with my bride. In the afternoon, I take a nap, then play with my children when they come home from school.”

“Is that it?” the businessman asked.

“Oh, no. Sometimes after dinner I meet with friends at a café in the village. We have a little wine, play some cards, tell some stories. Life is good!”

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American asked.

“I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “The money I get for these will support my family for the rest of the week. Why would I keep fishing?”

The businessman smiled coyly, shook his head and proceeded to give the fisherman a much-needed lesson in the free enterprise system: “Because, my friend, if you spent more time working, you’d make even more money. With that extra money you could make a down-payment on a loan and buy a second boat!”

“What would I do with two boats?” the fisherman asked, wide-eyed.

“You could hire some helpers,” the businessman replied. “One day you could have a whole fleet of fishing boats and dozens of employees under your management. In a few years, your operation could be big enough to sell your daily catch directly to the processor. And who knows? One day you might have enough money to buy your own cannery!”

“And then what?” asked the fisherman, a smile beginning to creep across his face.

“Then it really gets interesting,” answered the businessman, leaning in closer and lowering his voice to almost a whisper. “In 15 or 20 years you could sell the whole enterprise for millions of dollars – and retire. With that kind of wealth, you’d never have to work another day in your life!”

“Retire? What would I do then?” the fisherman asked.

“Anything you want!” said the businessman. “You could sleep as late as you want, spend endless days on the beach, even go fishing once in a while if you feel like it. You could enjoy long, leisurely lunches with your wife, spend some quality time with your children and your friends. Once you’re truly wealthy, you can do anything you want!”

And with that, the businessman stood up straight and squared his shoulders, raising his chin with a satisfied look of success. He wished the fisherman good luck, another poor soul saved from financial misery.

The fisherman watched the businessman walk away. Then, with a smile he shook his head, slung the bag of fish over his back and slowly headed toward the village.

“Imagine being wealthy enough to live like that,” he said with a chuckle.