# Streets paved with gold

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-migrant-gold-coin-perth
- Themes: laziness, motivation, humour
- Life situations: procrastination, starting a new life

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A refugee waiting for resettlement hears that Perth's streets are paved with gold. Walking out of Perth Airport, he spots a $2 gold coin on the ground — they are! He bends to pick it up, then stops: “No, I've just arrived. I won't start work until tomorrow.”

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

it reminds me of another story about motivation about this migrant who came to Perth and they came over from the Middle East and he know heard all these stories about Australia and how rich Australia is and compared to some is really really poor countries you know water Tor and ravaged countries living in great poverty with hardly anything to eat or ravaged by floods or whatever else is the natural disaster some people are really really dirt poed compared to them I mean it's true Australia is a very very wealthy country so in the refugee camps waiting to be resettled in Australia he heard you know the streets of a Perth are paved with gold you know heard that saying before and of course he didn't really believe it but as soon as he arrived at Perth Airport on the the migrant Visa as soon as he worked out walked out of the airport he looked down and there was a $2 gold coin on the floor my goodness the streets of Perth are paved with gold and so went down to pick up the gold coin and then he stopped himself and said no no I've just arrived I won't start work until tomorrow that's called laziness

## Teaching point

(A laziness joke on motivation.)

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A newcomer finds a two-dollar coin outside Perth Airport, and it seems the streets really are paved with gold; but he won't pick it up, because he doesn't start work until tomorrow. Ajahn Brahm uses the old laziness joke to ask what really moves us. Caring, for yourself and others, gets you up when rules and coins don't.

## Source

- [Motivation | Ajahn Brahm | 08-07-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90afts4S6aw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 32:58 to 34:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90afts4S6aw&t=1978s