My grandfather took me to the fishpond on the farm when I was about seven and he told me to throw a stone into the water. He told me to watch the waves, created by the stone, and then he asked me to think of myself as that stone.
“You may create a lot of splashes in your life, but remember the waves that come from those splashes will affect the peace of all your fellow creatures,” he said.
“Remember that you are responsible for what you throw into your circle, and that your waves will touch many other circles. Always try to live in a way that the waves that come from your circle send out the peace of your goodness to other circles.”
“Remember the waves that come from anger and jealousy will also send those feelings to other circles. You are responsible for all the waves.”
That was the first time I realized each person creates the inner peace or discord that flows out into the world. We cannot create world peace if we are riddled with inner conflict, hatred, doubt and anger. We radiate the feelings and thoughts that we hold inside whether we voice them or not.
Whatever is sloshing around inside of us is spilling out into the world, creating beauty or discord with all the other circles of life. Remember the eternal wisdom:
WHATEVER YOU FOCUS ON EXPANDS…
Herbert Mensah
