The Precious Present [Revised] 0385468059, 9780385468053

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Discover

THE Precious Present) and find yourself— The Precious Present is a book

that will capture your heart. But it is more than a book—it is a profound message that can help you be happy with yourself and your life forever For all of u$, the difficult problems of everyday life often appear compli¬ cated and insurmountable. But the solutions arc usually surprisingly simple—when we find them, Reading this extraordinary and simple book is a joyful personal jour¬ ney one that you will want to share with those you care about—for you will be reminded of how you can feel good about yourself. In his recent bestseller The One Minute Manager, Dr. Spencer Johnson told a simple story—one that is help¬ ing to rehumanize people's work¬ places throughout the world. During its very first year of publication the book was translated into seventeen foreign languages. In The Precious Present another book of universal {amihtUFtl tm back [Lap]

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Books by Spencer John son, m d

die owe aiiNuce ouNAQtR (with Kcrint-rh H Blanfhjnd, ThD)

rbe oNt cniNuee pAdiea die one aiiNuce cnocbea

SpcnccrJohnson,

'Doubleday 'New York London ’Toronto

5viJnev ^uddanti

Dedicated to Mr. Peter Althouse

Published by Doahtedjy, a division of Rsntan i DoubJecLiy Ddl Publishing Group Inc., btt. Fifth Avenue, New York, Nov Yeik 10103

DcMjblffday 2nd the portrayal c»f jn anrfior whin dolphin aremdeituths of poubleday, j division of Bantam Doubleday Ddl Publishing Group, Inc.

Calligraphy by Paul Shaw Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data John von, Spencer. The precious present.

1. Happiness. 1. TitleBJI48I.J63

\9B4 I58r..I

ISBN 0-3BS-lb>2]3-3 Library of Congress Catalog Card, Number 83-45368 Copyright © Si^Bi Spencer Johnson, M.D,

Copyright © 1334 Candle Comm unicar ions Corporation All Rights Reserved Printed m the United States of America

& a i Printed in the United States of America BG

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WNC E

there was a boy...

7

who listened to an old min.

8

And, thus, began to learn about The Precious Present. “It is a present because it is a gift," the contented man explained. “And it is precious because anyone who receives such a present is happy forever.”

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“Wowr the little boy exclaimed, T hope someone gives me The Precious Present, Maybe I'll get it tor Christmas/’ The boy ran oft to play And the old man smiled.

LO

He liked to witch the little boy play He saw the smile on the youngster's lace and heard him laughing' as he swung from a nearby tree. The boy was happy And it was a joy to see.

11

The old man also liked to watch the boy work.

He even rose early on Saturday mornings to watch the little laborer mow the lawn across the street. The boy actually whistled while he worked. The little chi Id was happy no matter what he was doing; It was, indeed, a joy to behold.

12

w

HEN he thought about

what the old man had said, the boy thought he understood. He knew about presents. Like the bicycle

he got for his birthday and the gifts He found

on Christmas morning.

13

under the tree

But as the boy thought more about it, ho know. Tli e joy of toys never lasts forever

14

The boy begin to feel uneasy: "What then,” he wondered, ,(is The Precious Present? whit could possibly nuke me hippy forever?" He found it difficult to even imagine the answer. And so he returned to ask the old man.

IB

uls The Present a mxgical ring?

One xhiz I might put on my finger a.nd mike ill my wishes come true?” "Ho?1 he was told.

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5% rbe pRecious pueseNr Has NorbiNO co fee wirb wisbiNQ.

17

A A[

m.

the boy grew older

he continued to wonder. He went to the old man. “is "rtie Precious Present a flying carpet?" he inquired. "One that I could get on and go any place that I liked?"

“No.” the man quietly replied.

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when you hAve die pRecious pueseNc you wiLL Be peapec^LY coNreMr ro Be wheae YOU AR£.

19

The boy was becoming a young man now, and felt a bit foolish for asking. But he was uncomfortable. He began to see that, he was not achieving what he wanted. "Is The Precious Present," he slowly ventured, "asunken treasure? Perhaps rare gold coins buried by pirates long ago?" "No, young man;" the old man told him. "It is not ”

20

rhe mchNess is uarc. iNheeh BUC...

rhe weALch op rhe pneseNr cocoes onLy puom irseLp.

The young man thought for a moment. Then he became annoyed. "You told me/1 the young man saidT "that anyone who receives such a present would be happy forever. I never got such a gift as a child/' Tm afraid you don't understand/1 the old man responded.

22

YOU ALR.eA6v kNOW

whAC cbe pnecious pueseNc is. you ALneAdY kNOW wbeiit co ptNb ic.

ANb you aLrga5y kNOW bow 1U CAN O^Akfc

YOU

bAppY

you knew ir bcsc wbtN YOU WtRC a sodaLL cbilA you

bAve sicnpLY poRQorceN.

23

young m^n went away to think. But as time passed, he became frustrated, and finally angry. He eventually confronted the old man, * if you want me to be happy/ the young man shouted, *why don't you just tell me whit The Precious Present is?”

24

"And where to find it?1’ the old man volleyed. “Yes, exactly/'

the young mm demanded. "I would like to/' the old man began. 'But 1 do not have such power. No one does.

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“Only you have the power to make yourself happy/' the old man said. "Only you/

26

% ube pReaous pueseNc is n or socnecbiNG cbAr sooDeoNe Gives vou. ic is A G!pC "cbAC

you Give Younse Lp.

27

The young man was confused., but determined. He resolved to find The Precious Present himself And $o..+

28

He packed his bags. He left where he was. And went elsewhere* To look for the Precious Present.

29

A jL

VFTEa

many

frustrating years, tke man grew tired, of looking for Tlic Precious Present.

30

He bud read all the latest books. And he had looked in 'jilt Watt StmtJournal,

He had looked in the mirror And into the fates of other people.

31

He Kadi wanted so much to find The Precious Present. He had gone to extraordinary lengths. He had looked for it at the tops of mountains and. in cold dark caves. He had searched for it in dense, humid jungles. And underneath the seas.

32

But it was all to no avail. His stressful search had exhausted him. He even became ill occasionally. But he did not know why

33

The nun returned wearily to the. old man's side. The old man was happy to see him. They often laughed out loud together. The young man liked to be with the old man. He felt happy in his presence. He guessed that this was because the old man Felt happy with himself

34

It wasn't that the old man’s life was so trouble-free.

He didn't appear to have a lot of money He seemed to he alone most of the time.

In fact, there was no apparent reason why he was so much happier and healthier than most people.

35

But happy he was. And so were those who spent time with him. "why does it feel so good

to be with him?" the young man wondered. “why?7* He left wondering.

36

A JL

VFTEft

many years, the once-young man returned to inquire further. He was now very unhappy and often ill. He needed to talk with the old man.

57

But the old man had grown very, very old.

And, all too soon, he spoke no more. The wise voice could no longer be heard.

38

Tiie man wis ilonc.

39

At first , he was saddened by the loss of his old friend. And then he became frightened. Very frightened. He was afraid that he would never learn how to be happy. Until..

40

He finally accepted what had always been true. He was the only one who could find ids own happiness. The unhappy man recalled what the happy old man had told him so many years ago. Rut as hard as he tried he could not figure it out,** He tried to understand what he had heard.

41

rhe pneseNC Has nocHinq ro bo with wishing... wheN you hAve rhe paeseNC

you will se peapecd-Y coNoeNr ro Be wheat you arc...

obe Rich Ness op rbe paeseNr cocoes pRocn irs own souace...

rbe paescNU is noo socnerhiNQ ohao soaoeoNe gives oo you...

io is socneobiNQ you give ro YOunseLp...

Mb 42

The unhappy man was now rived of looking for The Precious Present. He had grown so tired of trying, that he simply stopped trying.

43

A JL

VND

then, it happened

He didn't know why it happened when it happened. It just,..happened!

44

He realized that The Precious Present was just that:

THE PRESENT Not the past; and not the future, but

THE PRECIOUS PRESENT

4rS

In an instant the man was happy. He realized that he was

in Tile Precious Present, He raised both hands triumphantly into the cool, fresh air He was joyous... For one moment,,.

46

B

J.—then, just as quickly as he had discovered it, he let the joy of the present moment evaporate. He slowly lowered his hands, touched his forehead, and frowned. The man was unhappy again.

47

“Why," he asked himself "didn’t I sec the obvious long ago? Why have l missed so many precious moments ? “Why has it taken me so long to live in the present?” As the man remembered his fruitless travels around tire world in his search for The Precious Present, he knew how much happiness he had lost.

4$

He had not experienced what, each special time and place had to offer. He had missed a great deal. And he felt sad, The man continued to berate himself. And then he saw what he was doing. He observed that he was napped by his guilt about his past.

49

HEN

he became aware of his unhappiness and of his being in the past

He returned to the present moment . And he was happy.

SO

But then the man began to worry about the future, "Will I/' he asked "be able to know the joy of living in The Precious Present tomorrow?" Then he saw he was living in the future and laughed at himselh

He listened to whit he now knew. And lie heard the wisdom of h is own voice.

52

it ts wise poR cne to tbiNk aoouc dir PASO AN 5 to LeARN PRO CD

COY pASt

But it is Not wise poR me to Be in the pasc poR tbAt is bow i Lose coy seLp.

55

ic is aLso wise co cbiNk abouc rbe pucURe an5 ro pRepARe poR coy pucuRe buc ic is noc wise poR one

co oe in cbe pucime pou. cbAC, coo, is bow i Lose coy seLp.

S4

ah6

wbesi i Lose cdy seLp i Lose wbAc ts coosc pnecious to cine.

It was so simple. And now he saw it. “liie present nourished him.

56

B

the man knew it was not going to be easy. Learning to be in the present was a process he was going to have to do over and over... again and again,..

until it became a part of him. Now he knew why he had enjoyed being with the old man.

57

The old man was totally present when, he was with the younger man. "Tite old man was not thinking about something else or wishing he was somewhere else. He was fully present. And it felt good to he with such a person. The younger man smiled at himself the way the old man used to smile.

He knew:

58

t can choose zo Be hAppv NOW

Oii I CAN ORY

ZO

wheN... or ip...

59

Be hAppv

The man chose NOW! And now the man was happy. He felt at peace with himself. He agreed to savor each moment in his life... the apparently good and the apparently bad...

Even if he didn't understand. For the first, time in his life, it didn't matter. He accepted each of his precious moments on this planet as a gift .

60

i kNow cHac scene peopLe

choose co Receive che pRecious prcscnc wheN they arc younq. ocbens in crn66Le aqe. an5 some wheN rhev arc vcry olA some peopLe saDLy Neveu Oo.

iCAN choose co Receive

che pRecious paeseNC wbeNeveR i wanc.

% 61

A the man sat thinking, he felt fortunate. He was who he was where lie was. And. now he knew! He would always be who he was when• he was.

b2

He listened again to his thoughts.

65

ube pReseNr is wbxc is. ir is vaLuabL6.

eveN ip i do noc Know why. it is aLr6a6y jusc che way

tc is supposed ro Be. wbeN i see che pResesic, Accepu che pReseNC, an5 expeiueNce che pueseMC, i aoo weLL, ANld 1 ACT) hAp PY. %

64

% Pain is sicnply cbc bipftiifc'NCe ptcweeN wHac is

an 5 WhAC I WANC 1C CO B6-

Mt-

65

wb€N t peeL quiLcy oveR cdy icnpeupecx pasc, OR I AGO ANXIOUS

oveR cnv unIsnown purirne, i Oo noc Live in rbe pnes on x i expemeNce pain. i CHAke ciYseLp ill. AN5 1 ACT) UNHAPPY

% Gk?

ODY pASU WAS

ihe pReseNc, an 5 coy pucufie wiLL Be

rbe

pueseNu.

rhe pueseNr cnocneNr is rbe onLy R6aLiuy i eveR expeRieNce.

as Lonq AS I coNriNue ro szay

in rhe pueseNC I

AO! hAppy FORtVtR

BtCAust pcmeven IS aLways rhe pneseNC.

the prceseNc is sicnpLy who 1 Acn just the

wav

i AQi...

Right now. ANlh it is puecious.

Mb

G9

acd paecious.

70

ach

the pnecious pReseNc.

71

I

JI T wis

as though he could hear the old man talking.

And. then he smiled. And his smile widened. And he laughed. Re felt a great joy. He knew he was listening, not to the old man... but to himself I

72

It felt good for him to be with himself-just the way he was. He felt he knew enough. He felt he had enough. He felt he ims enough.

Now.

73

He had dually -found The Precious Present. And lac was completely happy.

74

s

K^EVEJlAL decades liter...

75

The man had grown into a hippy, prosperous, and healthy old man. One day a little girf came by to talk to him. She liked to listen to "the old man," as she called hi m. It was fun to be with him. There was something special about him. But she didnt know what it was.

76

One day, the little girl began to really listen to the old min. Somehow she sensed something important in his calm voice. He seemed wiy happy The little girl couldn't understand why. ‘How could someone so old,'k she wondered "be so happy?” She asked and the old man told her why

77

Then all of a sudden, the little girl jumped up and squealed with delight! As the girl ran off to play; the old man smiled. For he heard what she had said" Wow! ” she exclai med.

7B

"i Hope someday someone gives me...

79

f card in uedfront front jlap) appeal. Dr. John son takes his interest in people one step further: he shows us how to care about and take good care of ourselves. Take the time to team about The; Precious Present There is no better gift you can give—first to yourself and then to the people you love. The parable of The Precious Pres¬ ent reflects Spencer Johnson's own life. He enjoyed a happy childhood, and had grown into a man of impres¬ sive accomplishments: a degree in psychology from the University of Southern California; membership in national honor societies in, philoso¬ phy and psychology; an MD. from the Royal College of Surgeons; medi¬ cal training at the Mayo Clinic and Harvard Medical School; and the authorship of many books, He had a lovely family and a home in beautiful La folia, California.. He had become a successful writer and, before his fortieth birthday, had over a million copies of his books in print. Despite these achievements, he was unhappy—something was missing. Finally after years of traveling and studying and searching in his own mind, he joyfully discovered the secret of personal happiness— one that we can each discover and enjoy for ourselves—the secret of The Precious Present. JACKET DESIGN BY DAVID (,.ATT1 MAftBLEP FAE’EK BY KATY VON ML! I HEN

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