Just Imagine

3. One Stone Throw

I recall standing near the shore of a lake, seeing a kid throw stones in the water at different lengths and sizes that appeared swimmingly out of nowhere in the palm of his hand. Sometimes appearing one after another. Other times in between short intervals. As he threw them, some skipped on the surface, others sank into the water instantly. And the might of his strength also differed. The stones had a dark blue color in appearance, but some looked completely black as coal.

Interesting. I thought, thinking of what my eyes witnessed.

Soon the Lord comes up from my right side and stands with me under the tree branch as I marveled with a finger on my chin. Taking my hand unto his, we walk up to the boy.

As the distance between us shortened moment by moment, I noticed his features: short black spiky hair, caucasian smooth skin with sky-blue eyes. He wore a black t-shirt and pants. He was barefoot. The clothes allowed him easy movement, that was a big plus. I noticed each time he threw a stone a spark would be seen inside his chest, and soon enough another rock appeared in his hand.

Jesus points at the boy's chest gently and softly tells me in a low voice, "Those are the stones in his heart."

"In his heart?" I looked at the Lord questioning.

"Yes," he replies calmly and pleased, "Many stones that lodged in his heart caused by wounds of the past, words that hurt, regrets - injuries of the heart and of soul--- You can call them Stones of Bitterness, Stones of Darkness in a heart."

I understood him then. That is why they came up from his own chest. I then turned my attention toward the water, and, know my Lord, I looked at him waiting for his reply.

"It's the Waters of Forgiveness." He smiled with his eyes toward me and then to the boy ahead. "By throwing them into the water, he is letting them go off from his heart. Forgiving - moving on - releasing the shame and regrets even about himself and his mistakes." Jesus turns his gaze gently to me, "That is why they have different sizes and color plates. Some are heavier than others. Depending on the impact made on his tiny heart and soul." He gazes the boy again, "The might of his throw at times, show the zeal of how much he desires to let them go."

Jesus settled his loving gaze on the boy, so pleased to see him release his heart from burdens and bitterness accumulated up until this present day.

Jesus, musing, chuckles, and smiles saying, "He is a constant visitor here, to these waters." He recalled, with a pleasant gentle laugh and sat down on the sand at a short distance from the boy who kept throwing stones. Jesus eyed their landing in the water over and over again. And at times, settling his gaze onto the boy as if reading the movements of his heart like pages in a book.

Seeing time pass, the boy stopped and sat on the sand, gazing the waters as a calm breeze touches him as if cheering him on after so many throws given up today. Pleasantly satisfied, he stood there with eyes closed, at peace.

"Joseph." Jesus calls him in a gentle tone.

Soon hearing him, he turns his eyes unto his Lord and smiles so beautifully. Standing up he runs toward the Lord and engulfs him in a wide tight hug around his neck! He must've been around 14 years old of age. Jesus was ever so in love with the boy, one could melt at this soft loving flames of love they had for one another.

Settling him on His right leg, Jesus hugs him with one arm, saying, "This is Hannah," he points at me with his left arm.

"Nice to meet you, Hannah!" His voice as fresh as the winds of the air, his hand as fresh as the cooling ice in summer time. His face beamed with love for the Lord and wonder at this new person he just met.

"Joseph, would you be willing to teach Hannah how to throw those stones away, too?"

"Sure!" He agrees eagerly and gets up soon to reach out his hand to get mine, my heart even skipped a beat of his innocence, yet with such Holy heavenly charm of our Lord in him.

Getting up, we went near the shoreline.

"First thing first," he began, "Think of a situation that has hurt you. An event or a word, anything that wounded you. Even if for a second."

"Okay!" I set my mind on the pages of my heart with eyes fixed ont the water as if spacing out. "Okay, I got one." I looked toward him.

"Nice! Now, open your hand and image the stone landing. Its weight in your hand will be depending on how much damage it did to you. Its color will appear with as much depths of hurt it casued you." His eyes penetrated a soul as he instructed, deep as crystals, mysterious as the depth of the waters undiscovered. Who was this guy?

Getting out of my wonderment, I sense a heavy stone land on my right hand. Black as coal.

"Ooo! There we go!" He exclaimed satisfied. "Now, throw it away with as much strength as you want." He point shortly toward the water and soon gazed back toward me, saying, "I preferably like throwing them away at some length far off, knowing they will be very deep in the water and seen no more." He chuckled.

"Okay." I set myself in positioned ready to throw it when Joseph interrupted briefly, "Oh!--" he stopped me a bit, "When you throw it, you have to bear in mind and heart that you are throwing it away for good. This is you declaring you have let go of that burned that weighed your heart. Once in the water, it is not longer to be found in your heart."

"Totally forgiving the issue," I added with insight from the Lord.

"Yes! Exactly." He agrees.

"Okay! Got it!---" and my stone went flying a long distance, fast and speedy as soon as I spoke "got it". Once it hit the water and began to sink deep, I observed that, although a long distance, I could see its outcome. It began to dissolve until nothing remained of it but white ashes landing on the bottom of the water. Nobody would've know what those ashes were about if they were to look at them now. The purity of the water overpowered the darkness the stone held, destroying its evil and leaving only white ashes behind.

A water so clean and prestine, in aqua color with heus of baby blues. It was clear enough to see the bottom and distinguish its sand and all it held a few distance underneath.

My focal gaze got snapped out of it by a sound of clapping hands heard from Jesus's direction. Joseph and I instantly look and saw Jesus and Mary standing there, proud of this act of forgiveness and of surrendering the stone to the Ocean of Mercy. Jesus occasionally released a whistle sound made with his fingers on the mouth, cheering on with glee and happiness.

Wow... My eyes gleamed to see his happiness at this stone given away. Dazzling eyes smiled on him. Oh, this Lover of our soul!

[ . . . . ]

From then on, Hannah, like Joseph, took the most tender scrupulos care to unburned herself even of the most littlest bitterness found in her heart. Keeping her Garden freshly fragrant most of the time. What a delight to My Heart these souls of Mine!

Oh! I adore them so. . . !