The pebble of Destiny
Destiny, a silent calling, which can captivate the strongest of hearts. Our whole life is shaped by this invisible hand that comes and goes as pleases. However, destiny knows our true path and will always guide us to the correct outcome, regardless of the resistance we will apply along our journey.
One day, I ventured out to a particular place I had noticed when taking a leisurely walk along the coastline. I had stopped to stare at the position of this perfect ground to practice my Tai Chi forms. It’s beauty mesmerised me, with being close to the sea, surrounded by trees and a gentle mixture of sound coming from the sea and trees. I soon found the beginning of the path. It was a rugged path with sand, stones, potholes, and bumps, which I loved. Soon after setting out and only after a short time, I felt a pebble in my shoe. I was wearing a sturdy pair of sandals made for these types of walks, yet somehow this small pebble had found a way in. Shaking my foot hoping it would just fall out, but instead it just changed position and irritated me as I could not focus on the beautiful nature which I was walking through. I continued to walk, yet there it was under my foot pressing up on my sole and causing me to walk differently. There were some people who had walked past me and gestured a good morning, which I could only mutter a frustrated response because I was so determined to remove this irritation. I stood on one leg and poked my finger into the side of my sandal, but it just kept on finding a new place to live with me. I knew I had to remove my sandal, but my ego got the better of me, so I walked and shook my foot at the same time and just grinned and absorbed the pain.
I arrived at the scared place and sat down on the ground and removed my sandal, and the pebble was nowhere to be seen. I sat silently, wondering where it had gone. After a short while, my surroundings had calmed me down and I started my Tai Chi form, this time though wearing my Tai Chi slippers. Moving through the form, I had realised that my stepping had become lighter. Even the transfer of my weight from one leg to another was flowing evenly from my waist turning. My mind would not leave my feet and I became aware of every step I took.
When I finished my forms, I sat and looked into my sandal and there was the pebble, which had embedded itself into the inner sole of my sandal with the tiniest part of it protruding. It was exactly the same light tan camel colour as my sandal I had obviously not looked close enough. I removed the pebble and placed it in my palm, and meditated with my newly found teacher born from nature. It taught me to accept that when one is walking the path of the medicine wheel, we encounter many challenges, some difficult and some not so. We are always seeking the greatest of teachers, yet it is often the smallest and innocent ones that show us how to walk the path of destiny. For it is these teachers, which are born from nature, that know our weakest points, how to calm our egos and teach us to walk the path correctly. Only when we become upright and move with the wind and flow with the rhythm of the sea, do we realise that destiny is always gently pulling us along. There is no need to resist anymore. Just walk lightly on the ground and arrive where we are meant to be with open heart and peace of mind.
By Vasilios Firippis © 2022