The perfect heart

One day a young man walked into the village square and declared that he had the most perfect heart of the whole valley. A crowd gathered around him and all admired his heart, because it was indeed perfect. No stains, no defects. Yes, they agreed, it was indeed the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was proud and boasted even more about his beautiful heart. 

Suddenly an old man appeared from the crowd and he said aloud: "Listen, your heart is not half as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the heart of the old man. It beat powerfully, but it was also full of scars, it had spots where parts had been removed and replaced by other pieces. But those didn't fit well, and there were a few jagged edges ... To be precise, in some places there were deep ridges, where parts completely missed. The people were staring at the old man: How can he claim that his heart is more beautiful, they thought. The young man looked at the battered heart of the old man and laughed: "You're joking", he said, "To compare your heart with mine! My heart is perfect and yours is a hodge-podge of scars and tears ... " "Yes," said the old man, " yours looks perfect, but I would never swap with you. Each scar stands for someone whom I have given my love. I tore out a piece of heart and gave it to them, and often they gave me a piece of their heart that fit in the empty space of mine. They do not always fit perfectly, That is why I also have a few ragged edges. But I appreciate them greatly because they remind me of the love that I've shared. Sometimes I got nothing in return. These are the empty slots. Giving love also means taking risk. Sometimes those empty slots hurt and they remain open but they also remind me of the love I have felt for those people... I hope they will return one day and fill in the blank spots. Do you recognize now what true beauty is? " The young man stood still and tears ran down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached to his perfect heart, ripped out a piece and offered it to the old man. The old man took it and put it into his heart. He took a piece of his old, battered heart and with it he closed the wound in the heart of the young man. It wasn't a perfect fit, there were a few jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart. It was no longer perfect, but he thought it more beautiful than before because he felt the love of the old man run through it. He put his arm around the shoulder of the old man and they walked away together, side by side.

I heard this story long ago when I lived in Austria. I wrote it down and I rediscovered it just a few days ago. It fits the time of year. I wish you a merry Xmas and happiness in the new year.