In a quiet village, a weary woodcutter, aged seventy, found himself burdened by the monotony of his life. Day after day, he toiled in the forest, cutting wood to earn a meager living. His existence seemed devoid of purpose, and the weight of his struggles left him questioning the meaning of his life.
Frustration and despair drove the woodcutter to implore God for release. "Why don't you just end my life? What is the point of this endless cycle of cutting and selling wood, with me barely able to make ends meet?" he cried out.
After another exhausting day, on his way to the market with a bundle of wood, the woodcutter reached a breaking point. He stopped mid-way, tossed his burden aside, and gazed toward the heavens. Folding his hands, he beseeched the divine, "Death comes to everyone; why not to me? Yumdoot, have you forgotten me? Please take me away!"
As fate would have it, a Yumdoot, a messenger of the God of Death, happened to be passing by. Intrigued by the woodcutter's plea, the Yumdoot approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What do you want? Why are you calling me?" he inquired.
Startled to see the Yumdoot in front of him, the woodcutter trembled. Thoughts of his previous appeals for death flashed through his mind. Fearful, he stammered, "Nothing, nothing... My bundle of wood fell, and there was no one to help me lift it. So, I called you. But you didn't have to come. I don't want to die. I just wanted help to pick up this bundle. Please help me lift it and place it on my head."
The Yumdoot, understanding the woodcutter's true intention, assisted him with the fallen load and continued on his way. In that moment, the woodcutter, relieved and grateful, felt a surge of vitality. His perspective on life shifted, and he embraced the joy of being alive.
The profound lesson woven into this tale speaks to the resilience within us. In times of difficulty, the inclination may be to surrender and seek an end, but the true desire often lies in overcoming challenges and emerging stronger on the other side. Life's struggles may be formidable, but the will to persevere can turn the darkest moments into opportunities for growth and renewed appreciation for the gift of existence.