A Brother’s Sacrifice

Unknown Author

By Ashok G. Vasandani

Here’s a story or I read in The Meaning of Life’s page on Facebook that I’d like to share, something that we can all learn from.

 

IN a small village near Nuremberg, live a family with 10 children. To keep the family fed and sheltered, their father  had to work almost 18 hours a day. Despite their hopeless condition, two of the eldest children had a dream. They both dreamed of becoming prolific artists. But they knew that their father would never be able to afford to send them both to school.

After countless discussions by candlelight, the boys finally came up with the solution. They would toss a coin. The loser would work in the nearby mines, to support the other to attend the academy. And after 4 years, they would switch. The winner would then have to support the other to attend school.

Albrecht, the younger brother, won the toss and went off to Nuremberg study at the academy as planned. His brother, Albert, as promised, went down to the mines. For the next 4 years, one painted and one worked. Albrecht’s paintings where an almost immediate sensation. His work was considered better than most of his professors.  By the time he graduated, he was able to earn a considerable income.

When the 4 years were up, the artist returned to home triumphant. He proposed a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had to enable him to fulfil his ambition. “And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now is your turn. Now you can go to the academy and pursue your dream, I will take care of you.”

All heads turned in eager anticipation to the far end of the table where Albert sat. But to their surprise, tears were streaming down the Albert’s face. Shaking his lowered head from side to side, he sobbed, “no, no, no, no” “No, brother, I cannot go to Nuremberg. It’s too late for me. Look at what your years in the mines had done to my hands!” The artist held his brother’s hand and burst into tears. Every finger had been damaged so badly that he could barely raise a glass to toast. Albert could no longer pursue his dream.

More than 450 years have passed. But still, Albrecht Durer’s masterpieces hang in every great gallery, on the planet. Above each of his paintings hangs a simple drawing, to pay homage to his brother for all that he sacrificed. He called it simply it “Hands.” But the entire world called his Tribute of Love, “The praying Hands.”

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness – Napoleon Hill.

SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/messageoflife1808/videos/938225856600922/

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