Under Your Pillow

This story is not mine. I first heard it in 1974 and it has stuck with me ever since. It's used as a metaphor to show how we often search far and wide for what is within our own grasp.

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A long, long time ago, back even before there were automobiles, people used to travel from village to village or city to city by horse drawn carriages. This was also so long ago that banks were still not invented. This meant that all the people had to carry all their money and treasure with them as they traveled.

There was a thief who would wait near the inn where passengers would leave the carriage for lunch. This thief was especially adept at spotting a particularly wealthy individual who traveled alone. He was also very charismatic and once having seen his potential prey he would start an innocent conversation with the individual. He would then join this wealthy man for lunch and during the conversation would determine whether he was going to reach his destination that evening or would be lodging at some inn over night.

On this particular occasion the wealthy man had another three days travel before he reached his destination. For the thief, this was perfect. His next move was to purchase a ticket and travel along. During the afternoon leg of their journey the wealthy man would become quite enthralled with the thief and by the time the carriage reached its final stop of the day the thief had no trouble convincing the wealthy man to share a room at the inn for the night.

Two things would now happen. First, the thief knew that almost all wealthy people hid their treasure somewhere in the room before they would go down for supper. So the thief would busy himself putting his belongings away and laying out a fresh change of clothes for the morrow. By doing this he gave his new “friend” time to stow his treasure. Now, the second thing happened. Just before the two were about to go down for supper, the thief would claim that a sudden feeling of sickness had just come over him. He would then beg the wealthy man to please excuse him from supper that night as he felt that it would be best if he just lay down and rested. As soon as the wealthy man left the room and went down for supper the thief, instead of resting, searched the room for the treasure.

But this time things did not work out as planned. No matter how hard he tried, he could not find the treasure. Eventually he knew his new traveling companion would be returning to the room so he had to give up the search and alter his plan. He resolved to carry on with this wealthy individual the next day and to pay more attention to where the treasure was hidden.

The second day past in much the same way as the first afternoon: with much great conversation and entertaining stories. Again that evening they agreed to share a room and again the thief feigned sickness. Even though the thief had tried to see where the wealthy man hid his treasure he had not, but felt sure he could find it with a thorough searching. But alas, for the second evening in a row all his searching proved fruitless.

Finally, at the end of the third day, after the thief found no opportunity to relieve this particular wealthy man of his purse, and in complete exasperation he said, “Sir. I have to admit to you that I am a thief and for the last two evening I have attempted to lighten your load by removing your purse from your possession. Both evenings, no matter how I searched I could not find your treasure. Please, before you leave, tell me where you hid your treasure.”

The wealthy man nodded, then smiled. “Sir, I felt from the beginning that you might be a thief. So I hid my treasure in the one place I was sure you would not look. I hid it under your pillow!”

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No matter what you may have been told or what you may have experienced, the greatest treasure you will ever possess has forever been yours. It's not gold, money or material possessions at all. It's all the love that has lived within your heart from the very day of your birth and maybe even before. But there is a trick in finding it. The trick is, you have to give it away!

Two of the greatest lessons we can learn are, 1) that it's impossibly to feel love when it sits still, and 2) we really only feel love as it moves away from us. Knowing these two facts can only bring us to one conclusion. If we want to feel love we have to take the love we have and pass it on to another.

Don't believe that? Then try this. First, take note of how you're feeling right at this moment. Next think of someone or something that you care for. This could be an adult, a child, a puppy or even a tree. Now open your heart to whoever or whatever you've chosen. Just allow your love to leave. If I'm not mistaken you feel better now. The smile on your face is just the slightest bit bigger; or maybe a lot bigger. But if you did it you felt the only love you can ever feel; yours. And you felt it as it left you.

Now the same holds true for someone anywhere else in the world. If someone in Australia thinks of you with love they will feel that. As their love leaves their heart the smile on their face will broaden. But you; you wont feel it all.
Those of you close to my age may remember a wonderful little song written and sung by Malvina Reynolds. It's called, Magic Penny. Here are the lyrics.

Malvina Reynolds

Words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1955 and 1958 Northern Music Corporation, renewed 1986. a.k.a. "Love Is Something." Despite the later copyright dates, this song was actually written while Malvina's daughter was at a junior high school dance, so around 1949.

Magic Penny


Love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.


It's just like a magic penny,
Hold it tight and you won't have any.
Lend it, spend it, and you'll have so many
They'll roll all over the floor.


For love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.


Money's dandy and we like to use it,¹
But love is better if you don't refuse it.
It's a treasure and you'll never lose it
Unless you lock up your door.


For love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.


So let's go dancing till the break of day,
And if there's a piper, we can pay.
For love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.


For love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.

For a treat listen to it by following this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB5Z_30xSe8.

So whenever your short of love, just give some away. You'll end up having more. And now you know where it is. It's under your pillow.