Tales
to inspire, uplift and teach
principles of faith, goodness, wisdom
love and hope. Publisher:
Self-published by Lost Highway Press $12.00
(PDF book)
Sample chapter
One
sunny day, I stumbled across an intriguing bottle as I strolled along the
ocean’s edge. When I lifted the odd container from the sea foam to take
a closer look, I found that it was like no other bottle I had ever seen
before! For, you see, it was shaped like a long triangle.
Considering
my first encounter with Merlin, I figured this was a sign—a sign that a
genie dwelled within three walls of this mysterious, sea-faring vessel.
After all, if I could meet Merlin in the middle of a dark forest, surely a genie
could pop out of this lamp for me immediately!
Since
the bottle was as dark as jade, I could not see what it contained! I could
only feel its surprising heft in my hands. So, after some thought, I
rubbed the smooth sides of my newfound treasure with the hope of summoning
the genie inside! Alas, nothing happened. Then I noticed the driftwood
cork jammed deep into its mouth and made my way to a nearby weather-beaten
log along a wall of rocks. There, I sat to work on dislodging that
unyielding bit of cork.
I
tried pulling the cork from the mouth, but it wouldn’t budge. So
stubborn was the cork that I feared I might break it before removing it
from the bottle. After some major maneuvering with my fingers, the cork
finally popped loose; but still no sign of a genie and nothing magical
transpired. I felt a little disappointed by this. What good is an odd
bottle on the beach when it contains no genie?
I
examined the glass vessel still more. Its neck was very skinny. And
while the glass was thick, the thickness of the glass couldn’t have
added that much weight to the bottle. I just knew that something on the
inside made it feel like it was full of lead!
I
laid the cork on the rocks and turned the bottle on its side. To my
surprise, out poured liquid gold! In a panic, I quickly righted the bottle
and tried desperately to contain the gold, but it continued to flow,
pouring out like honey and then vanishing into the sand without a trace.
That’s when I grabbed the cork and stuffed it firmly back into my
bottle. But I wondered, what was this liquid and why did it disappear?
Even
more curious, once I returned the cork to the bottles mouth, I realized
that the bottle actually seemed heavier than before! This puzzled me. So,
I placed my triangular treasure in my backpack and began my long walk
to home.
On
my way home I encountered a beggar near an abandoned building.
"Please,
ma’am,” he moaned with an outstretched hand. “Do you have some spare
money for a hungry soul?"
I
had left my purse at home and had no money with me. The sincerity and
despair sculpting this pauper’s wrinkled, gray eyes, however, made me
wish that I had even just one penny to give.
"I
used to own a small fish market,” he explained in a hoarse, dry voice,
“But I lost everything during the hurricane a year ago.”
I
noticed that his leathery hand bore the scars of ten thousand fishing
expeditions, and now I could not walk away from him! Sympathy held my
heart.
"Sir,
I have no money," I apologized, but then went to a nearby trashcan to
search for a cup or a can. All I could find was a jar of putrid baitfish.
Like a scavenger, I snatched that jar from the rubbish and quickly washed
it in a puddle still left from the last tropical rain.
"Sir,
even though I have no money,” I confessed, “I do want to give you
something,"
Suspicious
of me, he started to back away. Clearly, he was not interested in a dirty
bait jar but he scrutinized my every move. As he slowly retreated, I
pulled the pyramid-shaped bottle from my backpack, which made him gasp in
awe.
"What
a striking and extraordinary bottle," he exclaimed.
Without
a word, I easily yanked the cork out, and poured some of the liquid gold
into the old bait jar. Before I returned the cork to its rightful place,
though, I quickly spun the lid tightly onto the old man’s jar and handed
it to him. Holding his jarful of weird substance up to the light, he
mumbled some words of seemingly insincere thanks, but I could tell that
the shimmering gold had mesmerized him into oblivion. He stumbled away
with his happy gaze fixed upon the inexplicable gift I had just given to
him.
As
I continued on my journey down the road, my backpack seemed to weigh much
more! I felt as though I were lugging a sack full of bricks on my back!
So, I stopped to take a break where I might remove my bag and examine the
contents once again. Before I could unzip the main chamber, though, I
noticed five children playing on a broken swing set near an empty parking
lot. I could see that all through the forsaken playground, dead trees hung
dry and brittle. Underfoot, shattered glass glistened like sharp teeth
ready to dig into the flesh of a tender knee! Broken equipment thrust out
of the ground like rusty spears waiting to ruin some young life. Appalled,
I walked closer to watch the youngsters play.
A
teacher I recognized from the local school approached me and asked if I
would be interested in donating to the playground renovation fund.
"Each person who gives a donation receives a coffee mug," she
cheerfully informed me with a fraught gleam in her eyes.
"Ma’am,
I have no money on me,” I admitted while unzipping my backpack, “But
I'd like to give you something nonetheless." I blindly reached
into the dark cavern of my bag and felt the triangular bottle slide
naturally into my right palm! I pulled the bottle out and asked her for a
mug. Into the mug I poured my smooth fortune and asked her to
consider this as my gift. She clutched her bosom with wonder when
she saw the liquid gold flowing so freely and thickly into the mug.
"I've
never seen anything like this,” she cried! “Thank you! Thank you,
indeed!"
I
left her alone and continued on my journey home. Now my backpack
became nearly too heavy to carry. I wanted to just drag my newly
acquired burden but I decided against that. Just when I thought I couldn't
haul the weight one step farther, I came across a man with no arms.
Amazingly, he sat painting a picture with his toes.
"What
a remarkable painting," I said to the man, as I gazed at the rich
blends of blues and greens on his canvas.
"Thank
you, ma’am,” he blushed with humility.
“How
did you learn to paint such stunning vistas with just your toes,” I
begged to know.
“Well,”
he replied. “I’ve been painting since early childhood, but I was on
the wrong side of a terrible accident several years ago which claimed my
arms. Despite that accident, I wasn't about to give up my painting! So, I
decided to learn to paint with my feet.”
“Incredible,”
I murmured.
“I
sell my paintings all over the world,” he continued with joy in his
heart, “Thanks to my dear wife who helps me. I’ve almost gathered
enough funds to purchase me a couple of ‘arms’. I plan to paint
again using those arms and hands. Ma’am, would you be willing to
buy one of my paintings to help me out?"
"Sir,
I have no money on me, but I would like to give you something else." I
noticed an empty plastic container. "May I?" I asked. He
nodded his approval and I raised that container to fill it with liquid
gold from my bottle.
"My
goodness! What a beautiful golden color," he said with barely a
breath!
I
laid the container on his table. He thanked me kindly and I made my way
home.
It
took everything I had to pull my backpack up the stairs of my porch that
day. I was rather tired from walking, and finally settled down to
relax. As I recharged my batteries, I pulled the bottle out to give
it another look. When I removed the cork, I noticed the gold flowing all
the way to the top of the bottle! How could this be? I had given a
third of the bottle to three different people, yet the bottle still
overflowed.
I
slept on my couch that night and dreamt of Merlin. I could see the
two of us, once again lying in that clearing in the forest. He played a
lighthearted tune on his flute.
"I
want you to see something," he said to me. "Look over
there."
I
gazed as Merlin instructed and could see the grizzled beggar who had
accepted the baitfish jar filled with liquid gold. He had converted
that old building into new fish market. His business thrived, and the
look on his face was one of immense happiness.
Next
Merlin pointed toward another direction. This time I saw the
dilapidated playground transformed into a beautiful park where new swings
and jungle gym equipment rested on a plush carpet of thick, green grass.
Children played and laughed, and the once dreary scene around the park
blossomed with flowers and lush, green trees.
Next,
Merlin showed me the painter."Look
here,” he said. I saw the man again, but this time he wasn't using his
feet to paint. His arms were flexible and he was painting away with his
new hands.
"Merlin,
why it that each time I gave away the liquid gold, my bottle refilled
itself? And by the time I had dispensed all of its contents, my bottle
overflowed again. Why?"
"My
dear, it is because you gave freely, without concern for what remained in
your bottle. This is why the gold replenished itself. You were
not greedy, but shared your wealth. If a man wants to be rich, he
must learn to give and give freely, and in the end, the giving will be
more his focus than the receiving."
With
that Merlin vanished again, leaving his flute and a new crystal.
I
woke up and looked for my backpack, but realized I had never taken it out
of the closet. As a matter of fact, I don’t even live near an
ocean. That morning, however, I decided that I would dedicate my life to
fulfilling the needs of other people, rather than struggling to fill my
own needs.
Later
that day, I went to my mailbox and could hardly believe my eyes! You see,
after years of frustrating rejection, I had received a handful of
acceptance letters from well-known publishers! What’s more, businesses
that I had worked for had sent their overdue payments and told me they had
more work for me!
And
finally, the last envelope I opened contained a white parchment with gold
lettering. It read, "You shall find the treasure you seek in the
treasure you give."
