The papyrus and the charmed stone

While the fire was put over the library (in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 640 AD), an old librarian hidden on a narrow alley, was watching how the flames rise to heaven. After a few days when the building, once so great, became just a ruin, the librarian started again his job, scratching among the debris with a stick. There remained no papyrus. 

With broken heart, he was about to leave when he kicked with his leg a vessel almost charred, from which came rolled thin and yellowed papyrus, the only remaining document from the Library of Alexandria. The librarian grabbed it and shook the ashes on the label because of shriveled heat. The titlu was: "The secret of magic stone." He looked around and made its way from the ruins, to research his discovery .

The secret of magic stone emerges as he was keep reading. Enchanted Rock was, in fact, a pebble, but this had magical powers. Any material in contact with the stone  turn in gold! 

The papyrus indicate that magic stone looks like thousands of stones covering a specific and isolated high cliff above a narrow beach where the waves struck the Mediterranean Sea with its noise. But the secret was the following: real magic stone was warm to the touch, while the rest of the pebbles were cold.

Librarian speed up to that cliff and began searching. He knew he should have a method of removal of all common pebbles, so he devised a plan: each time when he picked up a cold pebble, he throw it into the sea and like this the search will be easier until he will reach the hot stone, the magic one.

Spent his first day, from sunrise to sundown, picking up stones and throw them in cold whirling sea. He worked methodically, ensuring that no stone will escape. Days were made weeks, during which he divided into plots and he limited his search to a small plot of earth rocks.

"Now it can't take much longer - he said while climbing the cliff. I have to work two days, maybe three. Soon, the magic stone will be mine! "
He smiled and thought it picked up a pebble and cast it with an automatic gesture, then he collapsed on his knees. The last pebble was hot! 

Moral of the story:

Like the old library, we are all the result of our own habits. The custom of the librarian to throw stones of no value  was so well entrenched that when finally he found the magic stone so priceless, he threw it away on the sea withiut thinking.

So it is with opportunities too. If we are not careful, easily ignore an opportunity, especially if there is something familiar and found it right under our noses!