A man once found himself torn between two women—his devoted wife and his captivating mistress. Caught in the storm of his own indecision, he felt restless, unable to choose, and so he sought out the wisdom of an old sage who was known to speak in parables that revealed hidden truths.
Sitting across from the wise man, the troubled husband asked with a heavy heart,
“Tell me, wise one… should I stay with my wife, or should I choose my mistress?
The sage listened quietly, then rose without a word. He returned carrying two small clay pots—one holding a vibrant red rose, the other cradling a modest green cactus. Placing them before the man, he asked,
“If you had to choose one of these to take home, which would you choose?”
Without hesitation, the man’s eyes lit up. He pointed to the rose and said with certainty,
“Obviously, I would take the rose. It is beautiful, fragrant, and pleasing to look at.”
The wise man smiled faintly and shook his head.
“And so,” he said softly, “you have already revealed your heart. You acted on impulse, enchanted by surface beauty, blind to the deeper value of what endures. You deserve neither the rose nor the cactus.”
The man frowned, unsure what the sage meant. The old man continued, his voice calm but piercing:
“Some men are easily swayed by beauty and shallow allure. A rose blooms brightly but wilts quickly. It demands attention but cannot withstand hardship. A cactus, though plain and even thorny at first glance, endures every season. It thrives under the harshest sun, survives neglect, and one day, when the time is right, it blossoms into something rare and unforgettable.”
He leaned forward, his eyes kind yet unyielding.
“Your wife has seen your worst days, your flaws, your failures—and still, she stands by you. She knows the man you are beneath the smiles and bravado, and she loves you anyway. Your mistress only sees the side you choose to show—your victories, your laughter, your charm. She loves the idea of you, not the whole of you.”
The wise man’s words sank deep as he continued,
“When life grows hard and shadows fall, it will not be your mistress who stays. She will leave, chasing another light. But your wife—she will hold your hand through the storm, stand with you in silence when there are no words, and build you back up when the world has torn you down.”
The man’s eyes began to glisten, his heart stirring with a guilt he had long ignored. The sage spoke one final time, his words heavy with truth:
“By choosing the rose and scorning the cactus, you have shown you do not yet understand the nature of true love. But remember this: beauty fades, passion wanes, and time passes quickly. The cactus you dismissed may one day be gone, and then you will finally see your mistake. But by then, my son, it may be too late.”
The man left in silence, the weight of those words pressing down on him. For the first time, he truly saw what he already had—and what he stood to lose.
