"You don't understand, rocks don't grow. It is the earth that washes away around them." The geologist tried in vain to explain his theory of soil erosion to the bush man. The bush man was not convinced. He traveled the path every day. He saw the rock appear to grow larger after each afternoon rain. Finally, in exasperation, the bush man said to the geologist, "In your country rocks do not grow, but in my country they do."

 I guess it really depends on your perspective. For the bush man, rock was an organic living thing that made up a part of the wonder and mystery of his world. This is not so strange when we think about it.

Stones have always held great significance to mankind. Ancient people used stone monuments such as Stonehenge or the Pyramids to build a bridge between their mortality and the infinite. We ask stone to speak for us to our children when we erect monuments. We use rock to memorialize the passing of a loved one. With a diamond or other precious stone, we symbolize the eternal growth and steadfastness of our love for another.

If Michelangelo had not believed that stone could grow to a thing of beauty, we would not have the Pieta or David. Looking upon the glory of these works led Emerson to comment, "He builded better 

than he knew, the conscious stone to beauty grew."

It seems that if you think about stone and rock as that bush man did, you can believe that the hardest heart, or the most difficult situation we face, can be transformed. And if we can believe that, then we will grow as well.

I think I want to live in a place that still believes that rocks can grow.