Tuesday, February 09, 2010

"Symmetry, Summit Stones, And Sharing..."


"The butterfly's attractiveness derives not only from colors and symmetry... deeper motives contribute to it. We would not think them so beautiful... above all if they did not enact the mystery of metamorphosis; the latter assumes in our eyes the value of a message, a symbol, a sign...". P. Levi
Recently I received a wonderful gift from G.B. She wrote, about her experience of symmetry, Summit Stones, and sharing that: "One of your stones has been passed on. When I gave it away I explained how she could keep it for herself or pass it on by leaving it at a trail head or a summit just as you do. Her eyes got big as saucers as she exclaimed, 'Oh, I want to keep it!'.
Stone number one now rests on her meditation mantel with Buddha joined by some candles. Stone number two is on my desk at work with a few other rocks from the Eastern Sierra's and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Next to the stones is a small vase of yellow wild flowers with two Obata post cards hanging above. As far as passing it forward, here is where I find the symmetry delightful. While driving back to the Bay Area from Yosemite on New Year's Eve I stopped in Groveland and had some time to kill. Wandering on the back streets I entered into a small bookstore I've noticed before but had never visited. While poking around I ended up chatting with the owner. He had recently taken over the book store and sells mostly history and civil war books. He commented on how surprised he was that the locals come in all the time requesting poetry books and he didn't have many to offer. Upon arriving home I sent him five poetry books from my book shelves. I received summit stones from a poet with instructions to 'play it forward', which I did by passing on poetry books. Symmetry."
In response to G.B., I wrote:"I so enjoyed receiving your thoughts here, and have often pondered about the unknown symmetry that may take place as we embrace experiences and then pass them forward as you have done... There is a beauty in the spirit and actions of doing so, be they a small cobblestone, some cherished literature, or the simply profound quotes from those who have wandered before us... The person you now know from your gift to him will surely have enjoyed both object and gesture, and thus the spirit, the karma of it, and the beauty as you wrote in the symmetry of it all, as it gently keeps flowing on... Thank you so very much for sharing your experience of passing a Summit Stone forward and your friends' enjoyment of that. It also resonates with the few times I learn of how someone has positioned their own little cobblestone in a place of importance to them, with other memento's of personal symbolism like your flowers and Obata's pictures. Happy summits, trails, and sunsets..."
Symmetry.......
DSD

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