Winnowed Wisdom 5 - Ron Dart

The Prophet and the Raven

There once was a prophet who spoke searchingly and sternly to his people when they failed to uphold their high standards of justice and peacemaking. The prophet was often treated indifferently or opposed.

The ongoing rejection of the prophet by his people, in time, wore the prophet down, and anger, bitterness and other toxins grew in the depths of his soul. He soon became so disgusted with the folly of the people that he was called to care for that he fled to the desert. The desert was a quiet place but his heart was not. The fact he was rejected so often soon put him in a place in which he rejected his people. Brittle ideals had come to replace compassion and anger replaced mercy. A raven often visited the prophet in the stillness of the desert with the food of a message that, for months, the prophet could not hear---his dark and frozen heart had deafened him. In time, the faithful and daily visitations of the raven, and the growing loneliness of prophet, worked their wonders. The prophet had been unkind to the raven for many a turn of the night moon, but the raven daily returned unkindness with kindness. The prophet came to realize that the food the raven brought was the medicine his soul needed. The prophet spent many a month facing his demons of anger and bitterness, but, in time, the message of the raven could not be missed—prophet and people had to be transformed for different reasons. The prophet returned to his people—not all listened but many more did than before and the prophet was kind to those who did not listen and kinder to those that opposed and rejected him.

The Hawk, Dove and Owl

Once upon a time there dwelt a large community of valley people, who for many centuries, lived in a just and peaceful manner. The time came, though, when differences of perspectives emerged, harsh words were spoken and conflict erupted. The valley people became divided into different factions and war broke out. There were the hawks who thought a resolution could be brought by larger war machines and power—essential, so it was argued, to be realistic. There were the doves who pleaded that through dialogue, diplomacy and nonviolent mediation, the conflicts and war of all against all could be ended—doves built the nest of idealism and dwelt within such a perch. It was the owls, though (birds of wisdom) that clearly saw that the hawks and doves were both right and wrong. And so, the valley people called  the owls to convene a public meeting of which hawks and doves were asked to attend. 

Ron Dart            

Comments

[Mark Basil]

Hello Ron;

I enjoy the little nibbles for the mind in these winnowed wisdom episodes.
I recognize some (by their skeletons at least) but others are unfamiliar- perhaps original Dartisms. :)

Would you kindly include a reference for those which borrow some of their shape or content from your readings? I would enjoy the increased exposure.
Thanks;
-Mark