Perfection

Once there was a great sculptor, a painter, a great artis. His art was so perfect that when he would make a statue of a man, it was difficult to say who was the man and who was the statue. It was so lifelike, so alive, so similar.

An astrologer told him that his death was approaching, he was going to die soon. Of course, he became very much afraid and frightened, and as every man wants to avoid death he also wanted to avoid it. He thought about it, meditated, and he found a solution. He made statues of himself, eleven in number, and when Death knocked on his door and the Angel of Death entered, he stood hidden among his own eleven statues. He stopped his breathing.

The Angel of Death was puzzled, could not believe his own eyes. It had never happened-it was so irregular! God has never been known to create two persons alike; He always creates the unique. He has never believed in any routine, He is not like an assembly line. He is absolutely against carbons, he creates only originals. What has happened? Twelve persons in all, absolutely alike? Now, whom to take away? Only one has to be taken...

The Angel of Death could not decide. Puzzled, worried, nervous, he went back. He asked God, "What have you done" There are twelve persons exactly alike, and I am supposed to bring only one. How should I choose?"

God laughed. He called the Angel of Death close to him, and he uttered the formula in his ear, the key to finding the real among the unreal. He gave him a secret code and told him, "Just go, and utter it in that room where that artist is hiding among his own statues."

The Angel of Death asked,"How is it going to work?"

God said, "Don't be worried. Just go and try."

The Angel of Death went, not yet believing it was going to work, but when God has said it he has to do it. He went into the room, looked around and, not addressing anybody in particular, he said, "Sir, everything is perfect except one thing. You have done well, but you have missed one point. One error is there."

The artist completely forgot that he was hiding. He jumped, he said, "What error?"

Death laughed. And Death said, "You are caught! This is the only error: you cannot forget yourself."

What have you learn from the artist?