My name is 'Ancient' and I'm as old as the hills. I am a rock. Some would call me a boulder. A lot of things have happened to me in my long existence. I remember a few hundred centuries ago when the ground moved and leaped underneath me and I actually fell several dozen feet from where my home used to be.
I remember the explosive growth of the forest a few centuries ago. The trees zooming into the air in their mighty splendor only to die and be replaced by others. I remember the fires and then the new growth that took the place of the old trees. But mostly I remember the coming of man...
Being such a huge and prominent stone, man would naturally gather around me and use me for shelter in stormy and cold weather. I didn't mind...I enjoyed the company! Then people build trails near me and then small towns. And I would be visited by hikers and campers and exploring children. Oh, the stories I could tell!
But what I want to talk about is my new discovery! It happened a few days ago when two children from the nearby town came to visit. Their names are Rob and Susan. A brother and sister that visit me often. They have become good friends. Well they were talking about how they were so hungry. They had walked a long way from the town and didn't bring anything to eat! And it was such a long time until supper. I felt really bad for them so I thought really hard about a food I had seen other visitors eating and then all of a sudden....there were two crisp red apples sitting right on top of me!! That is when we discovered my secret! And that s the story I want to tell......
Rob looked up and noticed the apples. "Oh wow!" he exclaimed, "I know those weren't there before."
"How do you think they got there?" asked Susan.
"Maybe a bird dropped them or something." said Rob.
They began eating the apples. Ancient was upset, he wanted them to know that he made the apples appear. He began to think of something else he might be able to create. Maybe some water, "I know people drink that." Once again he thought very hard and soon a bottle of water appeared.
"Look Susan," said Rob, "A hiker must have dropped this water."
By this time Ancient was getting very frustrated. It took alot out of him to create these things.
" I give up!" said Ancient, "They will never believe this stuff came from a rock anyway!"
Many years passed and Ancient had never tried to create anything for humans again. Hikers still walked the trails around him and he watched with interest. He did continue to practice his art by creating food for birds, nesting material for the small animals around but that was it until one day............
Climbing up the trail was this young woman and a little boy, he heard her talking to the little boy. "Your Uncle Rob and I used to come up here. "said the woman.
Ancient thought a moment, it is Susan! She is all grown up now. All of the sudden Ancient feels something climbing on him. It is the little boy.
"Get down!!" Susan screams, but it is to late. Her son has fallen off the rock and is badly injured. Susan is frantic, this is not the normal time of year to be hiking this trail, and it could be quite some time before they are found.
"If I had only brought a First Aid Kit that would of helped." she said aloud.
The boy lay unmoving.
Ancient felt the child's lifeforce ebbing. he had experienced this before when his little creature friends as well as warriors had died nearby him.
But this time the old boulder felt something never before felt. Responsibility.
Ancient began to concentrate, "focus", he told himself.
Susan was becoming frantic.."Wake up", she was screaming,"Wake up!"
Ancient could now feel the connection between the universe, himself, & the boy growing stronger. he could hear the mummer of all who went before,and all those who were yet to be. he could feel the powerful stirings of the universe. he could feel the energy flow of the all that is...
The boy whispered, "Mom?"
Susan gasped! "Mom", said Cameron, albeit very weakly, "I hurt so
badly!"
Susan, being an RN, knew she shouldn't move the boy. She was getting desperate as the sun was setting and she could see Cameron was bleeding around his head. HIs left leg was twisted under him and she knew immediately that it was broken.
"What a fool I am......I thought coming here with Cameron would help me to remember the joys I shared with Rob here and I so wanted to tell Cameron about his Uncle, my beloved brother. Instead I have brought great harm to my only son!"
Susan didn't realize she was speaking out loud. I heard everything she said and, strangely, I felt her pain. I could hear and feel the desperation in her voice. She cared nothing for herself but her son, her only son. What could I, this old Ancient rock, do for this woman and her son.
Susan carefully rolled Cameron over and straightened his leg. She tore her blouse to bind his head wound.
"Oh if only I had a first aid kit. It is getting cold and we have no sweaters or protection from the night air. Whatever will
I do?"
She whispered loving words to Cameron, assuring him that he would be ok, that she would make sure of that.
"Mom, I'm not afraid, I know you love me and I, I, I", and he passed out.
Susan was frantic! "Cammy hang on, Mommy will get us help I promise. Listen to me Cammy.......Mommy 's love for you can do miracles, I promise!"
I was astonished to realize that Susan's wish for the first aid kit was not spoken aloud! I realized that I was in "tune" with her very thoughts! What can I do? Suddenly it came to me.....with all the might of my ions of being I thought really hard about a first aid kit.........THERE IT WAS!
Next I thought about sweaters! THERE THEY WERE! Oh what else can I do? I remembered Susan and Rob needed food and water.....I took a deep breath and THERE WAS THE WATER, BREAD, CHEESE. I heard Susan wish for shelter.......THERE WAS A TENT and BLANKETS TOO!
Susan was so intent in her care of Cameron that she didn't see all that I had created for her sitting on the crest of my being! I couldn't speak to her! How could I get her to look up and see what I have done for her? Suddenly, there was a flash of lightening! Susan screamed in terror....and little Cammy woke up!
Did my fear bring that about? Cameron looked up and asked Susan where she got the tent, food, water, first aid kit.
Poor Susan thought he was delirious but he pointed at me and she saw it all!
Susan slowly lifted herself from Cameron's side and came to me, she caressed me gently with her hands and laid her cheek against my cold, ancient being and whispered............
It seems like an endless time. I can only vaguely remember the time I came into being. I just know it was a long, long time ago. I have seen mountains and deserts forests and rivers come and go in my long life.
