The Next, And then the Next...

“You must never think of the whole street at once, understand? You must only concentrate on the next step, the next breath, do next stroke of the broom, and the next, and the next. Nothing else…That way you enjoy your work, which is important, because then you make a good job of it. And that’s how it ought to be.” (Ende, Momo 36)

This is a passage in a handout I found during the cleaning-up. If my memory serves me right, this is the story behind it:

A young monk was asked to sweep a very long street. Staring at it, he was daunted by the formidable task. Spotting his frowning face, an old monk gave him this gem of wisdom.