“Eat the soup in your bowl (in front of you).” In other words, pay attention to the task in front of you and don’t let your mind wander to unrelated things. Alternately, this proverb means “Take care of your family affairs and don’t get mixed up in other things.” There was a man who was very pious, but also inattentive. He never sinned consciously, but his mind would often wander and remain oblivious. After death, he approached the doors of heaven. He was told by the angels that the door only opened at irregular intervals. He would have to wait until the next time it would open to enter the gate of the heavenly kingdom. He waited attentively for a long time, but his old habit of not concentrating plagued him. He fell asleep and dreamed many wondrous things. During his dreams he heard a very loud sound and woke up. It was the doors of heaven opening and closing that awoke him. He missed his opportunity to enter the gates and again was obliged to wait. He is still waiting because he just cannot concentrate on his real objective.

Successful persons are able to fix their mind on a goal. They organize their time and activities to achieve the desired goal. I once met a very elderly man as I walked on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. Whenever I see an elderly person I try to make their acquaintance and learn from them. This man was ninety six years old. He was an Assyrian born in the ancient own of Mosul in Northern Iraq. After some time I asked him if he could give me some advice that would be of value for my life. He looked at me and asked, “Do you know how to climb a mountain?” As I had never done that before, I said no. He said, “The secret to climbing a mountain is always keeping your eyes on the summit. Never look down because you might get dizzy or faint and fall. Always keep your eyes on the top of the mountain and you’ll make it.” This advice was especially important for me. I thanked him heartily and felt that the time I spent with him was well worth it.