The farmer said, “You give me one year’s time, and just let things be according to me, and see what happens. There will be no poverty left!”

God was willing and one year was given to the farmer. Now it was according to his will that everything was happening. Naturally, he asked the best, he thought only of the best – no thunder, no strong winds, no dangers for the crop. Everything comfortable, cozy, and he was very happy. The wheat was growing so high! No dangers were there, no hindrances were there; everything was moving according to his desire. When he wanted sun, there was sun; when he wanted rain, there was rain, and as much as he wanted. In the old days, sometimes it rained too much, and the rivers would be flooded, and the crops would be destroyed; and sometimes it would not rain enough and the land would remain dry, and the crops would die…and sometimes something else, and sometimes something else. It was rare, very rare, that things were right. But this year everything was put right, mathematically right.

The wheat was growing so high that the farmer was very happy. He used to go to God and say, “Look! This time the crops will be such that for ten years if people don’t work there will be enough food.”

But when the crops were cut, there was no wheat inside. He was surprised – what happened?! He asked God, “What happened? what went wrong?”

God said, “Because there was no challenge, because there was no difficulty, because there was no conflict, no friction, because all was good, you avoided all that was bad, the wheat remained impotent. A little struggle is a must. Storms are needed, thunder, lightning is needed. They shake up the soul inside the wheat.”

This parable is of immense value. If you are just happy and happy and happy, happiness will lose all meaning. You will become tired of it. You will be fed up with it. You remain interested in happiness because there are sad moments too. Those sad moments keep you interested in happiness. You cannot go on eating only sugar and sugar and sugar – something salted is a must, otherwise all taste will be lost.

If you are just happy, just happy, just happy…you will have diabetes from happiness. You will become impotent. You will be bored, utterly bored – your life will not have meaning. It will be as if somebody is writing with white chalk on a white wall. He can go on writing, but nobody will ever be able to read it. You have to write on a black board, then it comes clear and loud. The night is as much needed as the day. And the days of sadness are AS essential as the days of happiness.