Gibran Khalil Gibran: ON GIVING AND TAKING

Once there lived a man who had a valleyful of needles.

And one day the mother of Jesus came to him and said: "Friend, my son's garment is torn and I must needs mend it before he goeth to the temple. Wouldst thou not give me a needle?"

And he gave her not a needle, but he gave her a learned discourse on Giving and Taking to carry to her son before he should go to the temple.
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