How to Turn a Stone Into an Apple

It’s apple harvest season again. Every year around this time, I think back to the orchard country of my childhood in Pomona New York.

Pomona was the Greek Goddess of Fruit. I also look back fondly on a couple of seasons I spent picking fruit in the orchards of Eastern Washington.

Crisp clear mornings, frost on the apples, the camaraderie of my fellow pickers, mornings around a trash can fire warming our hands, evenings sharing meals and campfire storytelling.

I also remember one particular story about fruit, written by my cousin Arthur’s father Leon who was a lifelong advocate for peace, justice and civil rights. Here it is.

The Parable of Stones Into Fruit

When we are out, looking around us, we see that there are so many stones
that lie about, stones along the roadside; among the roots of the forest
trees; on the bottoms of the streams. All different shapes, sizes and
colors.

A stone can be lifted and thrown through an oak door… or window glass. It
can be cracked against another stone… or aimed at a person.

But what is it that WE would do with a stone?

We take up a stone, and we rub it, and we scrape it, and we work on it- as
long as it may take to turn it into a pile of dust.

Then we search for a seed, and we plant the seed in the pile of dust. We
sprinkle a little water on it, and we wait.

The seed sprouts… and it quickly dies.
We plant another seed, and water it. We make sure that it gets plenty of
sunlight.

The seed sprouts, and it dies.
Again we plant a seed. We give it water and sunlight. And we wonder how
it’s going to do this time?

Once again the seed sprouts… and dies.

This doesn’t deter us.
We keep planting seeds and nurturing them and one
after another, they die.

One day there is ample organic matter from all the seeds that have sprouted
and died. We carefully gather this organic matter, and we grind it up, and
we mix it with the dust of the stone.

Again we plant a seed and give it water and sunlight.

This time it grows and takes root.

We plant another seed and another. Nearly all sprout and grow… and each
one eventually dies and is transformed into soil.

Finally, we have soil enough for a tree. The tree sends down roots and
grows. One day it bears fruit

We share the fruit with our friends, our neighbors and those who have little
or nothing, and we enjoy it together. Quietly.

If our companions ask where the fruit came from, we tell them the story of
how it fell from a tree… that grew from a seed… that was planted in
stone.

There are many stones that lie around us. (Leon Kanegis)

I carry this story with me as a seed. There’s so much in the world to be discouraged about. What to do? Keep planting seeds. I’ll keep sharing this story. Hope you will too!

Well, not only is it apple season. It’s almost election season too. Not to put too much of a fine point on it, your vote is a seed too!

Do you want to be part of creating a kinder, more inclusive society?