Want to make the world a better place?
It doesn’t take a lot.
All you’ve got to do is take a rock for a walk.
Give it a tour of the block.
But not locked in your pocket,
Cause how would you like it if a giant stranger stuffed you in a dark fabric cave?
Make sure you behave, be extra polite,
Let them sit in the light, right at home in your palm.
Practice calm curiosity.
Your traveling buddy is worthy of your attention.
Ask questions with your eyeballs and finger tips.
A short trip is plenty of time to get to know a new friend.
Don’t pretend you’re too cool to enjoy the scenery,
Don’t overlook the beauty on this mini-adventure.
Your traveling partner doesn’t have the luxury of legs.
They have likely been sitting in the same place for a long time:
Weeks, decades or millenia.
So let them enjoy the minutiae of a different view.
Help them to explore this new horizon.
You can give them a great vacation.
Like a friendly local guide, share your space with pride:
“I spy a towering tree with glowing green leaves.”
“I hear the distant laughter of my neighbour.”
“I smell a cedar hedge and sizzling sausages from someone’s barbecue.”
It might be mundane to you, but for this rock it’s all new.
Don’t go too fast, don’t blast past these memories,
Step slowly so your stone friend has time to breathe it all in.
But this journey is more than an act of charity,
It’s not just a good deed,
The rock is ready to keep you company.
They will lend you their solidity, extra gravity to help you feel grounded.
A well-rounded human has all sorts of friends.
And rocks tend to be strong and silent, perfect listeners to the whispers of our innermost thoughts.
Then when your walk draws to an end, you can send your stone friend on its way with a smile.
You could drop them in a pile, a gathering of their extended geological family.
But really any spot will do,
With fresh air and new experiences to treasure.
If your promenade was a pleasure, then in the future you could meander with the same stone.
Or turn an unknown mineral into a new rocky amigo,
There’s no wrong answer, no wrong partner for the journey.
Admittedly it’s a small act, a trifle,
But small pebbles can trigger landslides.
A wide array of wonderful things might be waiting downhill from this decision.
So open your vision, welcome a piece of stone,
Put down your phone and take a rock for a walk.
The Varied Creations of Bruce Narbaitz 