"Acres of Diamonds" - Summary

Al Hafed, an elderly Persian man, lived a comfortable life on his vast estate filled with orchards, fields, and gardens. His life took a turn when an old Buddhist priest visited him one day. The priest shared the story of how the earth's mountains, valleys, and precious minerals were formed from a cooling mass of mist. He described diamonds as solidified drops of sunlight, suggesting that owning a diamond mine would make Al Hafed extraordinarily wealthy. This idea made Al Hafed feel impoverished, and he yearned for a diamond mine. The following day, the priest advised him to search for a river running over white sands between high mountains to find diamonds.

Motivated by this advice, Al Hafed sold all his possessions and embarked on a worldwide journey to find diamonds. His quest was unsuccessful, and he found himself alone and destitute on a beach in Barcelona. In despair, he ended his life by throwing himself into the sea. In a twist of fate, the new owner of Al Hafed's estate stumbled upon a massive diamond deposit in the garden stream. This tale serves as a reminder that we often overlook the wealth that is right under our noses while we search for it in distant places.

This tale of Al Hafed is not unique. A similar situation occurred with a farmer in Pennsylvania who, despite studying about oil, sold his farm for a meager amount, unaware of the oil worth millions beneath his land. In Massachusetts, a young mining engineer, despite his education, overlooked a silver deposit on his farm before selling it at a low price. These stories highlight that great opportunities often lie right before our eyes, but we fail to recognize them. Having knowledge is not sufficient; we must also be observant and open to possibilities, even in the most unexpected places. Wealth is not always located in distant lands; sometimes, it is hidden right in our own backyard.