The author, Ken Gullette, gave me a copy of this book exactly one year ago. I’ve enjoyed reading it, all be it slowly, because this is a book that shouldn’t be rushed. It is an asset to be savored for its calming scenes and passages that require a bit of reflection.
What comes to my mind first are a few thoughts in chapter 80, page 183:
“The master continued, ‘Just like this stone, you are being shaped by the stream of life. … Seeking perfection is an endless pursuit. But striving to be a better person each day—that is a journey worth taking.
He placed the stone in the monk’s hand. ‘When you see a stone, let it remind you that perfection is not the goal. The true path lies in embracing your imperfections and transforming them through continuous growth. It is in the daily effort to be better, to spread kindness and truth, and to see the world as it is without judgment or supernatural delusions—that is where true wisdom is found.’”
For me, that was an instant reminder of a gemstone I purchased ages ago from a gem and mineral show. The original piece of transparent gemstone material would have been heavily marked with alternating colors, banding in blues and yellows, and with a shift in orientation. Not the kind of quality usually valued by the traditional jewelry trade. However, what was done by the crafts person, the lapidary, transformed that piece of flawed material and made it into a remarkable gem. The stone was cut to reveal a chevron-like pattern when held up to the light. Getting that pattern required the crafts person to use all their skill as the final stone was quite thin and would be difficult to mount into a piece of jewelry.
That gemstone is a constant reminder for me to look beyond the ordinary, the casual correctness of accepted standards, and to seek beauty in all its forms in the natural world and in human culture. Whether it is a leaf, a flower, a butterfly, or a man-made object, beauty is all around us if we pause long enough to notice.
That is from only one chapter among eighty-eight. It is for each reader find their own gems within this meditative book as they pursue their journey.
