Reading Ideas

I was cleaning house the other day, while all this mess and the fighting was going on, and I found an old magazine with two stories in it that caught my eye. In one story by Rolf Sovik, he was talking about his Norwegian aunt/Tanta Anna (Tanta means 'aunt'), and all the fun they had during the Christmas holidays, which is supposed to be a season of Peace.

Peace on earth. Good will toward men. Whether you follow the original Pagan holiday, or the Christian one or both...whether you are Jewish, or Hindu, or Muslim, or B'hai, or Sikh.

And he had this short little story tucked in the article, that he says was told by someone named Jeanette Robertson. It made me take a deep breath, and try to open my heart more. I kind of think it bears notice. So now, that I am done giving credit where credit is due...here's the story. Read it for what it is worth.

The Sparrow and the Wild Dove
The sparrow flew to the wild dove and he said, "Tell me, dove, what is the weight of a snowflake?" Turning, the dove said, "Well, nothing. Nothing more than nothing."

"Ah," said the sparrow. "Well then let me tell you a marvelous story. I was flying through a snowfall the other day and I settled on the great fir tree, on a little branch of needles near the trunk. And I sat there as the snow fell. It wasn't a fierce storm. No wounding. No anger. Just falling snow.

"And I began to count the flakes as they fell on my branch: One, two, three, four. Five, six. Seven, eight. Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three. Five hundred and seven, five hundred and eight. Three thousand four hundred and twenty-one, three thousand four hundred and twenty-two. Seven million nine hundred and forty-six, seven million nine hundred and forty-seven. And do you know, when the seven million nine hundred and forty-seventh snowflake fell - nothing more than nothing, as you say-the branch broke."

"Hmmm," sighed the dove. And the little sparrow flew away.

The dove, who had been somewhat of an authority about these things since Noah's ark, pondered the sparrow's story. And after a long while she said: "Perhaps there is only one voice lacking for peace to come to our world."

I hope. And it isn't about religion. It's about love over hate, and fear, and sadness. Love is more important. Friends are more important than to let beliefs get in the way. Why is it so hard for me, and others to realize that at times?

I want to thank NiQue for both her recent posts in "What Sucks", and in "What Rules". And I want to thank Aynjell immensely and wholeheartedly for teaching me something about myself. He was my mirror for the week. He showed me how much more junk there is inside that I still have to clean up.

And that whole conversation with the 62 responses...well, it was positive in a way. Without such conversations, people might never learn to find patience and compassion for other's hearts. Better to have had it happen on paper, or on screen, then in a battlefield between countries. It still was very hurtful, but I can speak for myself in saying that it really taught me a huge lesson. We should all be a little more patient with ourselves, and not so hard on each other. What else is there to say?

But feel free to add something if you like...

If mountain goats like living at high elevations, why do none live in high rise apartment buildings?

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Jul 29, 2005.

Always a pleasure to be named in one of yours posts. I've been on hiatus recently, setting up a new computer, but other than that working and school and EOCF have caught me up. I really hope you had a swell christmas and I plan to spend more time on NAO again.

I should be ashamed of myself.