In a common room of this cozy house, there are some stones which are arranged in such a way, small and big, to a certain height. They happen to be stones taken from the beach. They look white and clean. These stones are not flat, they are somehow round; pointed edge. Therefore, the way to arrange them is by positioning each of them in such a way to each other to make them balanced. Not an easy job, for sure. They surely look nice and its presence adds some artistic elements to this room.

Joy has a stone, too. It was taken from a small river near her grandparents’ house in Negara, Bali, Indonesia. After looking at the picture of the stones in the common room, she was puzzled.

“Why is the stone I have black, Papa?” She asked her father.

“Oh, I guess it’s not like those beach’s stones, my dear. The stone you have is typical,” her father tried to explain.

“What is it?” she asked, full of curiousity.

“It’s from a small river in grandparents’ village, do you remember that?” Her father tries to began detailing.

“We had to walk in coffee and clove plantations with some coconuts, mangoes, and pineapples in the surroundings.” Joy’s father tried to remind her.

“Oh yes, it was also a quite steep path to the river” she made a remark.

“Yes,” her father nodded.

“And when we reached the river, you were so excited. I know you love water so much, don’t you?” Her father tried to tease her.

Joy smiled.

“Yes, I remember that Papa. It was quite challenging to walk through that small steep path,” she uttered.

“But then it was good to bathe in that fresh, clean river, wasn’t it?” her father asked.

“Yes, I loved it. And that time I found this stone. I was curious because it is perfectly round and smooth,” Joy answered.

“And now you asked me about its color.” Her father tried to confirm.

“Yes,” said Joy.

“Well, you have to know that every stone has different characteristics. Some of them are different in shapes, colors, textures and many more. You’ve got a rather dark but round and smooth one.”

“That’s right,” Joy affirmed her father’s points.

“Do you want the stone you have be white like the ones in the wallpaper?” Her father asked.

“I think so. It looks more gorgeous!” Joy replied.

“Do you know that those stones have been taken care for a period of time to be like what they are now?” Her father questioned Joy.

“Oh, I haven’t thought of it, Papa,” Joy answered.

He then added, “Your stone is a good stone, Joy. It is round and has a smooth texture. Not many stones are perfectly round and smooth. And when you take care of it, it would be as beautiful as those stones”

“I see,” she began to think now.

“Now, have you taken care of your stone?” Her father asked.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t,” she answered, awkwardly.

 

©mhsantosa (2010 – 2012)
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