Take some time to stop and look at nature. Pick up a rock or two and think about where it might have started out and what it might have gone through to end up where you found it.

Rocks

The smoothest rock is the one
that was in the roughest part
of the stream,
where it was tossed to and fro,
bouncing from rock to rock
or tree branch,
losing a little of its roughness
with each bang,
until gradually it comes to rest
in the calm, quiet sand
at the edge of the stream.
When you pick it up
and feel its smoothness
you can feel the vibrations
of its tumultuous journey
and know that
despite the troubles you now face,
you too will come to a calm
and quiet place,
your rough edges smoothed,
and you will grant peace
to those who hold you close.
The energy you contain
will speak to their hearts and minds
and calm them,
and they will realize
that they too can have this peace,
if only they will trust
that God has their best interests at heart.

We seek out the smooth stones
because we know that they
can easily skip across the surface
of the water for a great distance.
Those with rough edges
quickly sink to the bottom -
they have no longevity.
A good "skipping stone" is a great find indeed.
For it is in the heart of the stone
that the strength is found.
The outside edges are weak
and break off easily,
but the centre becomes purer
and more durable
as the roughness is ground away.
So too our inner core
becomes more durable
as our rough edges
are smoothed.

Copyright Fran Watson February 2005

Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca
http://www.diet-basics.org
http://www.moremoney4u.org