2. A Story about two pebbles Over photos of China!

3. The difference between logical thoughts and lateral thoughts.

4. There was once in a small village a farmer who owed an important sum of money due to be repaid to a very ugly old man.

5. The farmer had a very pretty daughter that the old lender was sweet on, the lender proposed a deal:

6. He said he would annul the debt if he could marry his daughter

7. .Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified about this proposition

8. So, the old lender suggested hazard should determine the outcome of his proposition.

9. He told them he would put two pebbles one black and one white in an empty money bag,

10. And, the daughter would pick, without looking …

11. One of the two pebbles.

12. 1) If she picks a black one, she must marry me And the debt to her father is eliminated…..

13. 2) If she picks the white pebble, she doesnt have to marry me and the debt is also eliminated

14. 3) If she refuses to pick a pebble, her father will go to jail

15. While speaking, the old lender leaned forward and picked up two pebbles.

16. As he was picking them up, the daughter with a sharp eye…

17. Noticed he had picked up two black pebbles and put them in the money bag

18. But, she said nothing.

19. The old lender asked the daughter to pick a pebble out of the bag

20. This discussion was taking place on the road in front of the farmers house and the road was paved with pebbles

21. Imagine for an instant what you would have done.

22. What would you have suggested the daughter to do?

23. If we analyse the situation, there are 3 possibilities :

24. 1) The daughter refuses to pick a pebble

25. 2) The daughter picks out both pebbles revealing the old lender cheated

26. 3) The daughter picks out a black pebble and sacrifices herself by marrying the old « coot » and saves her father from emprisonment

27. Take a moment to reflect on this situation

29. This story means to illustrate a point…..

30. The difference between logical thought and so called lateralthought.

31. The daughters dilemma cannot be resolved equitable manner

32. By traditional logic

33. Think of the consequences of each of the three possible options.

34. So, what would you have done ?

35. Here is what the young woman did :

40. She plunged her hand in the bag picked a pebble and, clumsily, dropped it on the ground

41. before it could be determined wheter it was black or white, it mixed with other pebbles on the ground

42. Ah ! Gosh! I sure am clumsy, said the young woman….

43. But no matter: if I remove the other pebble from the bag ….

44. We will know which pebble I had picked first dont you think?

45. Since the second pebble was black,,

46. The first had to have been white

47. . The old lender didnt dare announce his cheating, ….

48. The young woman transformed a seemingly impossible situation

49. Into a very advantageous ending !

52. Moral of the story:

53. A solution exists for most problems

54. Its just that we dont always know how to examine every angles of the situation

55. M ay 2011 be full of positive thoughts and wise decisions!

61. FIN Bonne journée