The story of the stones and the Master

«Time to cast away stones, and time to gather stones together» (from the Book of Ecclesiastes)

A person walked along the road. He found stones beneath his feet, sometimes tripped on them, cursed and chucked them away from his path. But one day anger rose inside him, he picked up a stone that happened to be in his path and hurled it somewhere, or perhaps at someone... it took him a while to realize that this stone, thrown in anger, had turned into a boomerang.

It took a while... But It came flying back again and hit him hard.

One day, stumbling yet again, he fell. Sitting up, rubbing his bruises. He noticed something glistening beneath his feet.
What is it? Had he just been lucky?
Alas...It was another stone but this time there was something special about it, that made him watch it. The edges of the stone glistening, reflecting the sun's rays, such beauty! For the first time, the traveler noticed that it was beautiful. He brought the stone home, rinsed it from the road dust and placed it in a prominent place to gaze at.

Ever since, whenever he tripped over a stone, instead of cursing, he would bend down and carefully examine his find. Over time, he gathered a collection. He polished the small stones until they shone and crafted them into things of beauty.

When the stones he encountered were too large, he would take them home in a cart and arrange them in beautiful flowerbeds together with plants near the house. Thus, gradually, from a shapeless heap, a wondrous garden took shape — a garden of stones and flowers.

One day he found a stone that looked like a bird. Just with a little more polishing, it would take flight. That is how he learned to sculpt.

Other travelers began to visit the garden of stones and sculptures. People marveled at how such mesmerising things could be made from ordinary stones. They began to call him
"Master" for his magnificent crafts.

The Master himself often sat in his wonderous garden, gazing at the stones and reminiscing. He remembered the people who had once thrown stones at him and smiled. He remembered those  who he had thrown stones at.
At first, he frowned, but then he, too, began to smile. He remembered them all with warmth. He had long since stopped being horrified, angry or worried about it. The stones had taught him...

When someone throws a stone at you, you can always choose: throw a stone back or craft something beautiful from it. You choose.

Marina Bogdanova-Vul

Translation of Ellora Bogdanova