In 1890, a little booklet was published called Acres of Diamonds. Based on a lecture given by Russell Conwell, it tells the story of a farmer in India named Al Hafed.
Hafed learned of the great wealth others had found in discovering diamonds in far-off places. So excited was Hafed that he sold his farm cheaply to join the many prospectors in searching for the gleaming gems. Sadly, he never did, and died penniless and dejected.
Incredibly, however, the man who purchased Hafed’s farm accidentally discovered a huge diamond on the property. Furthermore, the farm he now owned turned out to contain one of the most productive diamond mines on the entire continent.
Hafed had sold his farm cheaply in order to look for fortune elsewhere when all the time he had been standing on ‘acres of diamonds’! The story carries a poignant message. The treasures for which we search are often right where we are.
