Memories and Monuments:I walked through the halls of a monument today.This monument stood at the site of a great battle. Tall and straight, it reaches for the sky. An old battleship sits moored across the way. From the lookout windows I gazed down. A well-groomed field of green met my gaze. I allowed my mind to speculate As I watched the wind play through the trees. Men had fought. Men had died. Two armies clashed. Over what they thought was right. The war was won. A country was born. When a dictator was caught And his rule overthrown. The battleship nearby held a trove of its own. Stories of battles and days gone by. Its deck and its guns shone in the sun. Restored to its glory Both of these monuments spoke of a past. Some battles lost Some battles won Remember our tales so we won't be forgot I walked the halls of monuments today My heart wept for those who were lost But I will never forget the stories I’ve heard The tales of Texas and its birth The River Stone:"Rough was I when I entered this stream," a small river stone thought to itself, "All full of edges and too big for my shoes."It crashed into a bigger rock and cried out in pain. "There goes another rough edge. I'll be smoother underneath." Others along the river bottom cried for the stone's attention. "Help us good traveler, for we are stuck in the mud!" The river stone looked around to see if it could help, but the current tugged at it, pulling it along. "I'm sorry. The current's too strong. I must travel on!" The stone reached a straight part of the river where the water ran smooth. It breathed a soft sigh of relief. Suddenly a hand reached down and tried for the stone. It did it's best to maneuver out of the way. "I'm sorry my friend," it spoke to the hand. "My journey's not done." Ahead, round the bend, the river roared and ripped over the rocks. The small stone flinched. "I'll be alright. I'll meet my fate bravely for the Maker will see me through!" Many miles and many knocks later, the river stone came to rest in a large lake. Smaller in size, smoother than when its journey began, the stone waited patiently for the next step in its journey. A hand reached down and scooped it from its bed. It was held up in the air all polished and shining. "Now, I'm ready for a new journey to begin." |