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TheAmbitiousViolet---KhalilGibranTherewasabeautifulandfragrantvioletwholivedplacidlyamongstherfriends,andswayedhappilyamidsttheotherflowersinasolitarygarden.Onemorning,ashercrownwasembellishedwithbeadsofdew,sheliftedherheadandlookedabout;shesawatallandhandsomeRosestandingproudlyandreachinghighintospace,likeaburningtorchuponanemeraldlamp.Thevioletopenedherbluelipsandsaid,WhatanunfortunateamIamongtheseflowers,andhowhumbleisthepositionIoccupyintheirpresence!Naturehasfashionedmetobeshortandpoor.IliveveryclosetotheearthandIcannotraisemyheadtowardtheblueSky,orturnmyfacetothesun,astherosesdo.Andtheroseheardherneighbor'swords;shelaughedandcommented,Howstrangeisyourtalk!Youarefortunate,andyetyoucannotunderstandyourfortune.NaturehasbestoweduponyoufragranceandBeautywhichshedidnotgranttoanyother.Castasideyourthoughtsandbecontented,andrememberthatHewhohumbleshimselfwillbeexalted,andhewhoExalthimselfwillbecrushed.Thevioletanswered,YouareconsolingmebecauseyouhavethatwhichIcrave.Youseektoembittermewiththemeaningthatyouaregreat.Howpainfulisthepreachingofthefortunatetotheheartofthemiserable!AndhowsevereisthestrongwhenhestandsasAdvisoramongtheweak!AndNatureheardtheconversationofthevioletandtheRose;sheapproachedandsaid,Whathashappenedtoyou,mydaughterviolet?YouhavebeenhumbleandSweetinallyourdeedsandwords.Hasgreedenteredyourheartandnumbedyoursenses?Inapleadingvoice,thevioletansweredher,saying,OhgreatandmercifulMother,fullofloveandsympathy,Ibegyou,withallmyHeartandsoul,tograntmyrequestandallowmetobeaRoseforoneday.AndNatureresponded,Youknownotwhatyouareseeking;youareunawareoftheconcealeddisasterbehindyourblindambition.TheVioletinsisted,Changemeintoatallrose,forIwishtoliftmyheadhighwithpride;andregardlessofmyFate,itwillbemyowndoing.Natureyielded,saying,Ohignorantandrebelliousviolet,Iwillgrantyourrequest.Butifcalamitybefallsyou,yourcomplaintmustbetoyourself.AndNaturestretchedforthhermysteriousandmagicFingersandtouchedtherootsoftheviolet,whoImmediatelyturnedintoatallrose,risingabove,allotherflowersinthegarden.Ateventidetheskybecamethickwithblackclouds,andtheragingelementsdisturbedthesilenceofExistencewiththunderandcommencedtoattacktheGarden,sendingforthagreatrainandstrongwinds.Thetempesttorethebranchesanduprootedtheplantsandbrokethestemsofthetallflowers,sparingonlythelittleoneswhogrewclosetothefriendlyearth.AlltheflowerswerelaidwasteandnoneofthemhadescapethewrathofnatureexceptthechainofSmallviolets,hidingbythewallofthegarden.Havingliftedherheadandviewedthetragedyoftheflowersandtrees,oneofthevioletmaidenssmiledhappilyandcalledtohercompanions,saying,Seewhatthetempesthasdonetothehaughtyflowers!Anothervioletsaid,Wearesmall,andlivetotheearth,butwearesafefromthewrathoftheskies.Andathirdoneadded,Becausewearepoorinheightthetempestisunabletosubdueus.Atthemomentthequeenofvioletssawbyhersidetheconvertedviolet,hurledtoearthbythestormanddistorteduponthewetgrasslikealimpsoldierinabattlefield.Thequeenofthevioletsliftedherheadandcalledtoherfamily,saying,Look,mydaughters,andmeditateuponthatwhichgreedhasdonetothevioletwhobecameaproudroseforonehour.Letthememoryofthisscenebeareminderofyourgoodfortune.Andthedyingrosemovedandgatheredtheremnantsofherstrength,andquietlysaid,Youarecontentedandmeekdullards;Ihaveneverfearedthetempest.YesterdayI,too,wassatisfiedandcontentedwithLife,butcontentmenthasactedasabarrierbetweenmyexistenceandthetempestofLife,confiningmetoasicklyandsluggishpeaceandtranquilityofmind.Icouldhavelivedthesamelifeyouarelivingnowbyclingingwithfeartotheearth.IcouldhavewaitedforwintertoshroudmewithSnowanddelivertoDeath,whowillsurelyclaimallviolets.IamhappynowbecauseIhaveprobedoutsidemylittleworldintothemysteryoftheUniverse…somethingwhichyouhavenotyetdone.IcouldhaveoverlookedGreed,whosenatureishigherthanmine,butasIhearkenedtothesilenceofthenight,Iheardtheheavenlyworldtalkingtothisearthlyworld,saying,'Ambitionbeyondexistenceistheessentialpurposeofourbeing.'Atthatmomentmyspiritrevoltedandmyheartlongedforapositionhigherthanmylimitedexistence.Irealizedthattheabysscannothearthesongofthestars,andatthatmomentIcommencedfightingagainstmysmallnessandcravingforthatwhichdidnotbelongtome,untilmyrebelliousnessturnedintoagreatpower,andmylongingintoacreatingwill....Nature,whoisthegreatobjectofourdeeperdreams,grantedmyrequestandchangedmeintoarosewithhermagicfingers.Therosebecamesilentforamoment,andinaweakeningvoice,mingledwithprideandachievement,shesaid,Ihavelivedonehourasaproudrose;Ihaveexistedforatimelikeaqueen;IhavelookedattheUniversefrombehindtheeyesoftherose;IhaveheardthewhisperofthefirmamentthroughtheearsoftheroseandtouchedthefoldsofLight'sgarmentwithrosepetals.Isthereanyherewhocanclaimsuchhonor?Havingthisspoken,sheloweredherhead,andwithachokingvoiceshegasped,Ishalldienow,formysoulhasattaineditsgoal.Ihavefinallyextendedmyknowledgetoaworldbeyondthenarrowcavernofmybirth.ThisisthedesignofLife....ThisisthesecretofExistence.Thentherosequivered,slowlyfoldedherpetals,andbreathedherlastwithaheavenlysmileuponherlips...asmileoffulfillmentofhopeandpurposeinLife...asmi