Hello there.
Thank you so much for joining me for this reading of another classic parable.
This one is The Ant and the Dove from Aesop's Fables.
This is essentially a story about kindness and helping others.
I may perhaps have mentioned this before,
But I find for myself personally that the older I get,
The more I look towards kindness as the key human characteristic that stands out for me.
If anything is going to move me,
It will be some action of kindness.
We never truly know where the ripples end when we show kindness and caring towards others.
And this is a great little example of those kind of ideas,
Our interconnectivity and to not underestimate the power of our own kindness or others.
So before we get into the story here,
Let's just take a moment to have a nice,
Deep exhale.
Letting go of the day.
Letting go of whichever baggage we might be bringing along with us into this moment For right now,
There's nowhere else we have to go and nothing else we have to be doing.
So we can just relax get ourselves comfortable.
And enjoy.
Another classic parable.
The ant and the dove.
One hot summer's day.
A little ant was wandering along the bank of a stream,
Searching for a drink of water.
As she leaned over the edge to take a sip.
She lost her footing and tumbled into the water.
The current swept her away from the bank.
She struggled to keep her head above the surface.
But the water was too strong.
And she couldn't find a way out.
A little farther along the stream.
A dove was resting on the branch of a tree.
Hearing the ants' cries for help.
She looked down.
And saw the tiny creature being carried helplessly along by the current.
The dove knew she had to act.
Quickly.
She plucked a leaf from the tree and dropped it into the water beside the ant.
The ant managed to climb onto the leaf.
And clung to it as the current carried her towards the bank.
At last,
She reached the safety of the shore.
And scrambled onto dry ground.
She was exhausted.
Burnt.
Alive.
Looking up into the tree,
She called out her thanks to the dove who had saved her.
The dove gave a little nod.
And returned to her resting place.
Thinking no more of the matter.
Sometime later.
The aunt was going about her business when she noticed a hunter approaching the tree where the dove was resting.
The Hunter.
Carried a bow and arrow.
He had spotted the dove.
And was quietly preparing to take aim.
The ant watched as the hunter raised his bow.
She knew she was too small to fight him.
She couldn't stand by and watch the dove come to harm.
Rushing towards the hunter.
She climbed onto his foot.
And beat him as hard as she could.
The hunter cried out in pain.
And his aim.
Was disturbed.
His arrow flew wide of its mark.
The dove heard the commotion and saw the danger.
With a great flutter of her wings,
She flew away to safety.
And sew.
The little ant repaid the kindness the dove had shown her.
Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness.
Can make the biggest difference.
We may never know how much a helping hand,
A thoughtful word,
Or a moment of compassion means to someone else.
And we may never know when kindness will find its way.
Back to us.
We don't have to be powerful or important.
To make a difference.
You simply have to notice.
When somebody could use some help.
And do what we can.
No act of kindness is too small.
To matter.
And the ripple effects.
Of kindness.
Can be.
Profound.
