Pebble in my Palm

In the front of the room a bowl of water held a pile of small stones. The teaching exercise was to choose a pebble to remind you of something you intended to give up in order to let LIFE energy fill your whole being. A single ebony stone resembling a heart called to me. I dipped my fingers in to lift it into my palm. Walking back to my seat I reveled in the smoothness and shine of the tiny wet symbol.

I will give up self-doubt, I boldly covenanted with myself. The heart shape would remind me that loving my skills and talents would honor the LIFE energy just waiting for permission to bloom through me. I smiled thinking, I can do this.

Sitting down I turned the pebble over loosely in my hand noticing that upside down it resembled a decayed black tooth. Ouch, I winced. Knowing my resistance to fully trusting myself, maybe this effort will be like pulling teeth. Or possibly the decay was already too advanced to stop its spread. This process could hurt, I realized.

Later I looked at the pebble from the top where a smoothly worn shape clearly resembled a tear drop. Hmmm. Tears of pain? Of loss? Of fear? Or could it be tears of joy for finally realizing that believing in my worth would bring great things? The origin of the tears doesn't matter, I reasoned. Tears move us on when we let go of what was, to make room for whatever will be. This could be exciting, I concluded.

Another turn of the stone revealed a miniature footprint. Suggesting I would have to walk the walk to reach my goal. Whoever said stones don't speak? I wondered. I just had a full conversation with this pebble in my palm.

What speaks to you today?