Friday, January 15, 2010

One Time Only


Sometimes you find things and you have no idea what they are or how they can be used. Other times you may find things and figure out a use for them other than for what they were intended; like using a newspaper to cover your head when it’s raining.

There are things like bottles. If you find a bottle you can use it as a container. You can recycle it or you may choose to display it. Its original intent has now been superseded by other uses.

But, sometimes you’ll find a thing that has that unique special purpose, or perhaps a universal purpose that is recognized by anyone that ever lived or tread by the water’s edge. Before I spill the beans I want you to think of the innate purpose that comes to mind when you find a nice flat round stone. It is about two to three inches in diameter and it is between a quarter inch and a half inch thick.

That’s it! It’s a perfect skipping stone. When was the last time you skipped a stone across the water? I loved doing that as a kid. I’d even go to a gravel quarry and spend a few hours collecting perfect specimens that would all end up on the bottom of lake or a pond before the day was done.

There is something about the hydroplaning wonder of skipping a stone and watching the trajectory of the stone across the water’s surface. The cadence of the beats increasing until the stone is swallowed under the surface tension to spend the rest of its ageless rock-hood days submerged in a quiet eternity; never to be skipped again.

It’s sad to have a great performing stone that can only be used once; like a firecracker.

4 Comments:

Blogger JustRex said...

I remember finding a wide slow moving stream one time as a kid. The shore was littered with perfect skippers. I don't know how long I stayed there slinging rocks, but I couldn't move my right shoulder for three days afterwards. It was a good day.


veri word: cogianic- someone who empowers others to be overly large.

7:45 AM  
Blogger Syd said...

This reminds me, last week, I skidded rocks across a frozen pond for the first time ever. That was pretty fun. I was fascinated by the sound.

Not often that it gets cold enough here to freeze the entire pond.

10:10 AM  
Blogger Amy said...

Worry stones. I love having those rocks so long that my thumb has made an indentation in them from rubbing it....

(WV = blerea. The feeling you get when you have diarrhea?)

12:05 PM  
Blogger The Guy Who Writes This said...

Darev, I bet that got it out of your system for a while.

Syd, That is rare for Mississippi. You're right, that sound is cool and it's like the thin ice is a large speaker.

Amy, I never thought you to be big on worry. Aggravation yes, worry no.

6:12 AM  

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