I want to share a favorite fable with you. It’s author is unknown, but it wass passed on to me by Dr. Bev Forbes at Seattle University quite some time ago. Each time I revist this fable, it speaks to me of the requirements of faith and blesses my journey. May it do the same for you.
Once Upon a Puddle
Once upon a time there were some fish that lived in a very small puddle of water. Every day, the little fishes would swim in circles and hunt for water bugs.
Their stagnant puddle was cradled between the roots of an ancient oak tree, just beside a flowing river. Life neverseemed to change for the puddle fish. But one morning, there was a sudden SPLASH! An amazing, brightly colored fish had jumped into the riverside puddle… a fish with golden scales. And –what was most unusual in this particular puddle–he was smiling!
At first, the frightened puddle fish huddled together at the edge of the puddle. Finally, one of them asked, “Where do you come from?”
The Sparkling Fish smiled brightly, “I come from the SEA!”
“The sea! What is the sea?” asked one of the braver puddle fish.
The Sparkling Fish shook his head in surprise: “No one has ever told you about the sea? Why the sea…the sea is what fish are made for. It isn’t like this little puddle; it’s endless. A fish needn’t swim in circles all day for one can dance with the tides! Life isn’t lived in the shade – the sun aarches over the waves in silver and crimson! And there are many splendid sea-creatures, such as you can hardly imagine. It’s endless and sparkling and clear. The sea is what fish are made for!”
Then a pale, gray puddle-fish spoke up: “But, how do we get to the sea?”
The Sparkling Fish pointed towards the large black root that lay close to the river’s edge. “It’s a simple matter. You jump from this little puddle into that river and trust that the current will take you to the sea.”
The fish in the puddle of water were astonished. At long last a brave little fish swam forward with a hard, experienced look in his eye. He was a Realist Fish.
The realist fish looked down at the muddy puddle and frowned. “It’s pleasant to talk about this ‘sea business,’ but –if you ask me– we have to face reality. And what is reality? Obviously, it’s day-to-day life–swimming in circles and hunting for water bugs.” A look of distance mingled with pity crossed the face of the Realist Fish. “It’s all
pie-in-the-sky nonsense. Of course, I sympathize with you. You undoubtedly dreamed this up because of some trauma you suffered as a little guppy. But life is hard. It takes a REAL Fish to face facts.”
The Sparkling Fish smiled. “But you don’t understand…I’ve BEEN there. I’ve SEEN the sea. It’s far more wonderful than you can…” But before he could finish speaking, the Realist Fish swam away.
Next, a fish came up with a nervous twitch in his tail. He was a Scared Fish. He stammered, “You mean, we’re suppose to j-jump into that river over there?”
“Yes. For a fish who wants to go to the sea, the way lies through that river.”
“B-b-but… have you looked at THAT RIVER OVER THERE? I’m just a small fish! That river is deep and strong and wide, and I don’t know where it goes. Why a small fish would be swept away by the current! If I jumped out of this puddle, I wouldn’t have any control! No! I just can’t…”
The Sparkling Fish whispered, “Just trust ME. Trust that the river will take you some place GOOD…” But before he could finish, the Scared Fish hurried away.
Finally there swam out a very dignified figure in a black robe. He had been in this particular school of fish longer than anyone else. He was a Theologian Fish. Calmly, he swam to the middle of the puddle and adjusted his spectacles. Setting down a small shellfish podium, the Theologian Fish pulled out a sheaf of notes from his vest pocket. Then he smiled at the puddle fish. “My brother and sister fishes, our distinguished visitor has expressed many views which merit our consideration”But, my dear colorful friend, let us be reasonable…” He glanced down at his notes and then his smile brightened. “We can work this out. Why not form a discussion group? We could meet every Tuesday at 7 o’clock, and I’m sure some of the puddle fish would be happy to get the hall ready for us.”
The eyes of the Sparkling Fish grew sad…. “No, this will never do,” he said. “Talking is important, but in the end –it is a simple matter: you JUMP. You jump out of this puddle and trust that the river will take you to the sea.
From somewhere above the muddied waters, a sparrow was singing. The light in the eyes of the Sparkling Fish shone with a bright urgency. “Besides, don’t you know that summer is coming?”
The puddle fish murmured, “Summer is coming? What difference does that make?”
The Sparkling Fish pointed towards the sun. “Summer is coming. The spring rains filled up this little puddle to overflowing. But, this little puddle is going to dry up some day. No puddle lasts forever.”
The puddle fish were stunned, but the Realist Fish swam out. There was dark contempt in his face as he spat out his words. “You’re just trying to scare us! You’re one of those end-of-the-puddle-fanatics!” He swam away in disgust.
But then the Sparkling Fish brightened into a warm glow. He whispered, “It’s a simple matter. You jump from this little puddle and trust that the river will take you to the sea. Who will come and follow me?”
At first no one moved, but then a few puddle-fishes swam to his side. Together they jumped into the river and the current swept then away to the sea.
The remaining puddle-fishes were quiet for a long time.
Then, once again, began to swim in circles and hunt for water bugs.
Thoughts & Images from the Heart 