their business strategies. When the messenger finally made the trip, it was already too late for the agreement he was to deliver; war broke out, destroying the king's plans and the business arrangements of the men who had delayed the messenger. The master says: "There is only one important thing in our lives: to live our personal destiny -- the mission that was fated for us. But we always wind up loading ourselves down with useless concerns that then destroy our dream." The wanderer is in the port of Sydney, looking out at the bridge that connects the two parts of the city, when an Australian approaches him and asks that he read an ad in the newspaper. "The letters are quite small," he says. "I left my glasses at home, and I can't make them out." The wanderer is also without his reading glasses, and apologizes to the man. "Well, I guess I'll just forget about the ad," says the man. And, wanting to continue the conversation, he says, "It's not just the two of us. God's vision is also clouded. Not because he is old, but because he wants it that way. Then, when someone close to Him commits an error, He is unable to see it clearly. Not wanting to be unfair, he forgives the person." "And what about the 'good things,'" I ask. "Well, God never leaves his glasses at home," laughs the Australian as he moves on. "Is there anything more important than prayer?" asked the disciple of his master. The master asked the disciple to go to a nearby bush and cut off a branch. The disciple obeyed. "Is the bush still alive?" asked the master. "Just as alive as before," answered the disciple. "Now go and cut the roots," said the master. "If I do that, the bush will die," said the disciple. "Prayers are the branches of a tree, whose roots are called faith," said the master. "There can be faith without prayer. But there can be no prayer without faith." Saint Teresa d'Avila says: "Remember: the Lord invited all of us, and -- since He is the pure truth -- we cannot doubt his invitation. He said: 'Come to me all who are thirsty, and I will give you to drink.' "If the invitation were not for each and every one of us, the Lord would have said: 'Come to me all who wish to, because you have nothing to lose. But I will provide drink only for those who are prepared.' He imposes no conditions. It is enough to walk and desire, and all will receive the Water of Life of his love. The Zen monks, when they wish to meditate, sit before a rock: "Now I will wait for this rock to grow a bit," they say. The master says: "Everything around us is constantly changing. Every day, the sun shines upon a new world. What we call routine is full of new proposals and opportunities. But we do not perceive that each day is different from all the others. Today, in some place, a treasure awaits you. It may be a fleeting smile, it may be a great victory -- it doesn't matter. Life is made up of large and small miracles. Nothing is boring, because everything constantly changes. Tedium is not of the world. The poet, T. S. Eliot, wrote: 'Walk many highways/ return to your home/ and view everything as if for the first time'".