By:Colby Kluthe- MetroEast NEWS
While the river may be looked down upon for its forceful and unpredictable current, it is sometimes helpful to recognize and appreciate that had it not been for the river, the rock would not be well rounded, but rather jagged and far from the refreshment found in a cool drink at your feet.
The rock indeed has been through the storms and baked in many of summer's suns. Sometimes in july the rock may even burn us if we linger upon it too long. It knows its story of years gone by, but a rock will not often tell of its hardships. Instead, the rock has weathered and aged long enough not to worry about forces it has no control over, and chooses to embrace all that surrounds it's resting place.
"My heavens would you look at that" cries out the rock, "someone long ago planted this tree next to me, and the tree has grown and kept me company even in the bitterness of winter. I am surely a blessed rock. And when the long awaitef sping arrives, my friend the tree blooms it's branches to sheild me from that summer heat. Now im much more appealing to the passerby and both myself and my tree enjoy the company. "
"Last October, we found ourselves at odds, and I decided I could do without tree, it doesn't even have any leaves left to offer shade anyway." So the rock wouldnt talk to tree all winter, and the tree felt the blisters of snow on it's bare branches, and creaked when the wind gusts battered it's dried out trunk.
The tree and rock remained in silence until all of winters snowpack began to melt on a particularly warm February day. In fact neither of them could remember the last time so much snow had leaped its way into the now swift moving, and nearly violent splashes of the river. As the water levels rose, the rock could no longer see tree for all the desbris and water which now forced its way over, around, and directly onto the rock. In just a few moments the rock began to feel its footing being washed away, and soon he might be tumbling downstream, never getting the chance to see tree one last time.
Just as the flashes of lightening reached maximum decibel, and the river had all but reclaimed the rock, the rock wondered why or how he wasn't already tumbling downstream. As mid afternoon turned into evening, the sunlight faded, and the waters began to calm. It was at that moment the rock realized that his weight was being held in suspension by the roots of his friend the tree. Rock wasn't going to miss this opportunity and began to cry out in both appreciation and relief: "thank you tree! I have not been very kind to you lately, but you were holding me up the entire time. I don't deserve to have such a wonderful friend ad you."
The tree looked down at thr rock and replied: "Don't even mention it, those roots have been there for a very long time, and because you rest upon them, I can drink from river even in the coldest and driest of times. I should be thanking you. Without you at my side, the passersby would not see me fit to offer them a shaded grove, and without you a resting place would not be within my reach. We would both find ouselves quite lonely I imagine"
Today we should take a short moment yo appreciate those blessings which surround us. Remember that blessings exist even when they are covered by the swift moving currents in our own lives. Take a moment to celebrate how blessings are often intertwined like a quilt on the bed. Someone even our divine creator not only had the plan and pattern, and created a beautiful tapestry that will bring us warmth and comfort when we no longer see leaves on the tree. It remains a tree, and all that has been created is blessed indeed.
Today be mindful of blessings of grace surrounding you. If it is a person, tell them thank you just to recognize the gift. Remember that only love exists, and release any fear you may be struggling to overcome?
Today I will remember to keep my word.
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