The Elephant Express January 2014 | Page 4

Supreme Deputy

4

Pick Up Stones

This year GWA Hailey has chosen “Journey Along the Silk Road” as her theme. To me, the “Silk Road” represents our travels and experiences in our Rainbow journey through life. This brought to mind a story I came across several years ago about three horsemen who had set out on a journey across the land to travel the road of life. At times they found the road they traveled to be crooked and bumpy. Other places along the road were rough and very rocky, almost impossible to pass. But there were also stretches of road that were smooth and peaceful, very enjoyable to travel.

One day they came upon a bridge spanning a beautiful river. As they crossed over the bridge, they heard a voice saying, “Pick up stones.” The voice repeated the order; “Pick up stones. In the morning you will be both sad and glad.”

One of the horsemen hesitated, he had heard the voice but didn’t want his companions to think he was crazy if he stopped and picked up stones along the road. He denied the voice and continued on his journey. The second also heard the voice. He stopped along the route occasionally and picked up a few stones as the voice commanded him to do. The third horseman was a very confident man, very secure in his abilities and not worried about what his companions might think of him. When he heard the voice, he followed the advice and stopped along the road to pick up any stones he saw. Night time was near so the horsemen stopped to make camp for the night.

When they awoke, the horsemen remembered the voice’s prediction that morning would bring both sadness and gladness. The two who had picked up stones went to their packs to pull out the stones they had collected the previous day. Much to their surprise, some of the stones had transformed into precious gems. Indeed they were both sad and glad. Sad that they had not heeded the voice and picked up more stones, and glad that they had taken the time to notice and pick up some stones.

The moral of this story is that the road of life is often bumpy and filled with stones of various sizes. Do not curse these stones but rather pick them up and pay attention to them. You never know which ones will turn into gems. So it is with our Rainbow experiences. Some seem like annoying stones in the journey, some are obvious gems. But remember, sometimes stones turn into gems! I wish all of you happy and safe journeys along your Rainbow road.

In Rainbow Love,

Mama Huston

Supreme Deputy, Carol Huston