Hard to Please

On the seventh day God rested....and on the 8th day, God started answering complaints.

A man dreamed of joining a monastery. His goal in life was to become a monk. So one day he went to a monastery and talked to the head monk and said, “I have longed to join a monastery. I know that I will need to renounce my worldly possessions and follow the order of living that this monastery requires. I am prepared to do these things. What else must I do to join?”

The head monk replied, "You might find our rules more difficult than you expect. Here in our monastery, we require a vow of silence. Our monks are only allowed to say two words every year.”

The man said, “That sounds a bit extreme; but I’ve wanted to be a monk for so long, I’m going to give it a try.” So he was shown to his room. And so for the next twelve months the man never said a word. At the end of his first year he was taken to the head monk, and was told he could now say his two words. With great feeling, the man said, “Food’s bad.” He went back to his room, and was silent for another twelve months.

At the end of his second year he again was taken to the head monk for his two words. This time his two words were, “Bed’s hard.” The head monk nodded. And the man went back to his room.

Another twelve months of silence passed, and the man was brought again to the head monk for his annual two words. This time the man said, “I quit.” The head monk nodded wisely and said, “Well, it doesn’t surprise me. All you’ve done is complain ever since you got here.”