In the same village where Master Gento resided, there lived a woman named Akari, who was known for being perpetually busy. From dawn till dusk, Akari was engrossed in endless tasks — tending her garden, caring for her family, and aiding her neighbors. Despite her hard work, she often felt overwhelmed, as if the day had more tasks than hours.

One afternoon, feeling particularly harried, Akari sought the counsel of Master Gento. She found him sitting calmly beside a flowing stream, seemingly doing nothing.

“Master Gento,” Akari exclaimed, “How do you find peace when there is so much to be done? I am constantly busy, yet I never seem to finish my tasks. My life feels like an endless race.”

Master Gento gestured for her to sit beside him. “Watch the stream,” he said softly. “It flows continuously, never stopping, yet it does not hurry.”

Akari watched as the water flowed gently, effortlessly, and steadily. It seemed at peace with its endless journey.

“Your life is like this stream,” Master Gento continued. “You believe you must rush to accomplish your tasks, but in your hurry, you miss the beauty of the journey. The stream reaches its destination not through speed, but through persistence and tranquility.”

He picked up a leaf and placed it on the water. “See how the leaf travels with the stream, not hurrying, yet reaching where it needs to go. Be like this leaf. Do what you must do, but do not let the rush of tasks carry you away from the peace of the present moment.”

Akari took these words to heart. She learned to approach her tasks like the stream — with steady, calm persistence. Gradually, she found that she could accomplish her duties without feeling rushed or overwhelmed, and her life, like the stream, flowed more peacefully.