Into Each Life a Scorpion Must Fall

When I hear actors complain about the paparazzi, I just roll my eyes, and think of the scorpion.

A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on his back across a river. “Are you mad?” exclaimed the turtle. “You’ll sting me while I’m swimming and I’ll drown.”

“My dear turtle,” said the scorpion, “if I were to sting you, you would drown and I would die with you. Where is the logic in that?”

“You’re right,” said the turtle.  “Then, climb on.”  The scorpion crawled onto the back of the turtle. Halfway across the river, the scorpion stung the turtle.  As the turtle was dying, he said, “Why did you do that?  Now you’ll drown as well. You said it wasn’t logical for you to sting me.”

“Sadly, it has nothing to do with logic,” the drowning scorpion said. “It’s my nature.”

Actors use the paparazzi to enhance their public persona, to advance their career, to become famous. Then they complain when the monster they’ve created turns around and stings them.

I’d be willing to bet there’s a scorpion in each person’s life.  The trick is to remember his nature and not be so surprised when you’re occasionally stung.