Living Waters

September 8, 2002

The Rev. Gretchen Woods

A Story for the Gathering of Community Waters

Once upon a time in a land far, far, away, there was a community of people who lived in a clearing by a stream in a wood. There were trees all around them, and many birds and animals visited them in their community. They were quite happy with the vegetables and flowers in the gardens. They were comfortable in their homes in the community. The sun shone and the rains fell and life was good.

But, as happens sometimes, for several years there was not enough rain in the community. The stream dried up to a trickle. Flowers wilted and died. Vegetables grew fewer and less filling. Birds and animals had to struggle to get enough to drink, and came into the village to take water from the villagers. People began to be afraid that life would become too hard. What to do?

Then one day, a little otter came into the village looking for water and began to dance in a very funny way. The children of the village joined the otter in the dance, and everyone laughed and laughed. The laughter rose up into the sky and filled the sky with tiny clouds – the first clouds they had seen in a long, long time. But still no rain fell to earth and watered the land.

Then, several of the largest trees in the woods around the community fell to the ground, dead. The people of the community loved those trees, and knew they would be sorely missed. They gathered and cried together, while celebrating the long and rich lives of the trees and all that the trees had meant to them, providing shade from the sun and places for birds and animals to live. The tears they cried rose up into the sky and the little clouds that appeared because they laughed grew larger and fuller. But still no rain fell to earth on the dry land.

Then, several babies were born to families in the community: beautiful new lives for all the community to love. And the community gathered and sang for joy. Their song rose to the sky and filled the clouds to overflowing with living water of love and life. The waters spilled out of the clouds and rained down on the parched earth, feeding the stream and the flowers and vegetables and birds and animals and humans.

And the people realized that each living thing was precious to the community: the otter who danced, the trees who died, the babies who were born, everyone who sang, and the living waters that fell to bless them all. Somehow, being together, sharing their lives, they created living waters that refreshed the land and the spirit of every living thing.

So Be It. Blessed Be!

Gretchen Woods,