Three years ago, there was nothing on this land except sand. The good woman who owns it however, brought it to life by taking her time, first installing a simple bamboo house and then little by little adding other structures. Today, there are not only structures, but even plants and flowers growing amidst the sands. Looking at the steps in the photo, I am reminded of the song from the movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" which St. Francis and his companions sang as they built their church:
BUILD IT SLOW AND SURELY
If you want your dream to be
Build it slow and surely
If you want to live like Him
Take your time, go slowly
Small beginning, greater end
Heartfelt work grows surely
Don't you think as you do them well
Simple joys are holy.
Day by day, stone by stone,
Build your secret slowly;
Day by day, you'll grow too,
You'll know heaven's glory.
The good woman had put her heart into it and had 'built it slow and surely'. Day by day, stone by stone, the place came to life.
Each of us also have certain things that we really want to happen in our life. Either dreams that seem impossible, or desires that remain unfulfilled for now. Work which seems too tough or which we can't seem to do well. Or, inner changes we want to bring about within ourselves that don't come easy and where we seem to keep on slipping backwards, repeating the same mistakes or getting stuck instead of moving forward. When this happens it's so easy to feel discouraged and want to throw in the towel and give up. Or to look for shortcuts and quick fixes. Or to brush reality aside and and try not deal with it.
But St. Francis in his song reminds us that some good things take time. If we hang in there and keep on working at it, day by day, stone by stone... if we remember to celebrate small beginnings and just keep on going with heartfelt work... trying to do few things but do them well while recognizing that simple joys are holy... sooner or later, like the good woman who slowly brought life to the sands, and like St. Francis and his companions who were able to finished their church, we too can slowly but surely, finally reach those 'greater ends'.
Day by day, stone by stone, step by step...
