Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – B.J. Cassady

December 10, 2006

The Pool, The Man, and The Bond

B.J. Cassady
 
    Once upon a time and a land far away and in a different time
there lived a man who was born to a unique place.  When he
reached the age of twenty-one he heard his Creator speak.
 
   "I will grant you peace, eternal life and this land of plenty
but in exchange you must do just one thing."
 
    The man looked at his Creator and replied, "Name it my Lord
and it is yours."
 
    "What I ask is the pool of water at your feet.  It is small, very
small.  It would take many days to fill it.  You must make certain
the water never overflows the pool.  That is all I ask."
 
    "What shall I do with the extra water my Lord."  queried the man.
 
    "Do as you wish, water the plants, the animals.  It is the purest
water in the land.  Do with it as you wish.  Once the water overflows,
then it will become foul forever.  So heed my words man.  Your life
depends upon it.  Once the water overflows, your life shall to be
forfeit."
 
     "I hear and obey my Lord."
 
    So for years and years the man at dawn would arise and pray and
give thanks to his Lord and then empty the pool out as much as he
could, spreading the water amongst the land.  Where he spread the
water, the plants would blossom and grow.   The animals would
multiply and grow and be tame.  The world was good.
 
   One day the man saw a beautiful woman who came into his world.
She asked about the wonder of his world.  He told of all his wealth, the
pool the Lord and such.  She stayed and marveled at the richness of it all.
One day she became bored and ask! ed the m an to go for a walk to the
far off hills.  It would only take a day or two said she.  He thought it over
and agreed.  They came back and noticed the pool of water was still
very shallow and together they emptied it and spread the water amongst
the beasts and foliage.  A few days later the lady asked the man to exchange
vows before the pool so they could raise a family.  He agreed and they went
into the woods for a while.  They came back after four days to find the pool
about a third of the way full.  Together they emptied it and spread their
water again among the wild.
 
    The woman became with child.  She wanted a home in the mountains.
She asked her husband to build one for their family.  He went off to the
mountains and built one.  He came back after a week and found the pool
almost full.  He demanded to know why she had not emptied the water.
She replied it is only water.  He worked all night to empty the water.
The next day he collapsed exhausted.  She took their child and left for
their home in the mountain. 
 
   When he woke up he had to consider what to do.  He had his family, but
they left for the mountain.  If he went, he would forfeit his right as the keeper
if he stayed he would lose his family.  Live here and now or live in the hereafter.
 
The man thought and thought.  He remembered the times in the garden and
when he was happy, but that was before he knew woman and another kind
of happiness.  So he left the pool.  The pool started to shed tears.  It filled
and then overflowed...the water turned fowl.. The foliage started to die, the
animals started to die...
 
Man found his way to his wife, but she was still angry with him and
wanted nothing to do with him.  So man was on his own.  He was alone.
He tried to go back to his garden but it was! dead.&n bsp; The pool was dried up.
The vegetation was gone.   The man sat on a rock and cried, he cried for his
past, for his future for his present.  He failings were around him. 
 
A voice came out of the clouds, "Do you see what you had?  Do you see what
you have?  Can you understand what happened?"
 
"When I had nothing, I had everything, when I had everything I had nothing."
 wailed the man.

The Creator said, "You have learned your lesson well.  Go to the pool."
 
Man went to the pool and there at the bottom was a small amount of pure
water.  He filled his flask and raised it up to the clouds and proclaimed,
"I raise this glass in remembrance of failings and of promises yet to come."
 
BJ Cassady

BJ.Cassady@af-group.com