The Bear and the Puddle
A fable about what stillness reveals
After the rain, a Bear found a puddle in the middle of the path.
It was hardly worthy of the name. A stream could carry a salmon. A lake could hold a mountain. Even a ditch, the Bear thought, had somewhere to go.
But this was merely water that had failed to leave.
The Bear lowered his head.
Inside the puddle was a patch of blue sky.
He looked up.
Clouds still covered the forest.
He looked down again.
There was the blue.
The Bear frowned and put one paw into the puddle.
The sky disappeared.
Mud curled through the water, leaves rose from the bottom, and the Bear drew back his paw.
For some time, nothing happened.
He nearly walked away.
Then the mud began to sink.
A little blue returned.
The Bear sat beside the puddle and waited.
Presently, the whole patch of sky was there again.
“How did you find it?” asked the Bear.
The puddle said nothing.
So the Bear remained very still.
The puddle reflected what could not be seen.
And the Bear reflected on what could not be seen.
Moral
Some things can only be seen when we stop disturbing them.
