A woman had the practice of baking bread for members of her family. She also made an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra bread on the window-sill, for whosoever would take it away….

Everyday, a hunchback came and took away the bread. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: “The evil you do, remains with you! The good you do, comes back to you!”
This went on, day after day. Everyday, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and uttered the words: “The evil you do, remains with you! The good you do, comes back to you!”
The woman felt irritated. “Not a word of gratitude,” she said to herself. “Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle! What does he mean?”
One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. “I shall get rid of this hunchback,” she said. So what did she do? She added poison to the bread she prepared for him! However, as she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled. “What is this I am doing?” she said to herself.
Immediately, she threw the bread into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window sill. As usual, the hunchback came, picked up the bread and muttered the words: “The evil you do, remains with you! The good you do, comes back to you!” The hunchback proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman.
Now this woman had a son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him. She prayed for his safe return. That evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak.
As he saw his mother, he said, “Mom, it’s a miracle I’m here. While I was but a mile away, I was so famished that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunchback passed by. I begged of him for a morsel of food, and he was kind enough to give me his whole bread. As he gave it to me, he said, “This is what I eat everyday. Today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!”
As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale. She leaned against the door for support.
She remembered the poisoned bread that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life!
It was then that she realized the significance of the words: “The evil you do, remains with you! The good you do, comes back to you!”
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Our actions and words are born from our thoughts. When we think thoughts of harming others, it is like tossing a dagger at the sky. Sooner or later it falls back on us. When we think kind and loving thoughts it is like tossing fragrant flowers at the sky. Sooner or later they return to adorn us!
A simple way to treat negative thinking is by considering such thoughts like a shepherd treats his wandering sheep. Firmly, but lovingly he brings the sheep back into the flock. We can use the word “Cancel” in our mind every time our thoughts wander to subjects we do not wish to dwell on. It is a simple but effective remedy!

“The evil you do, remains with you! The good you do, comes back to you!”