This is Thanksgiving so far. Apples on the table for two pies, one blackberry apple double crust the other just apple but with half tart, half sweet, and vanilla ice cream with a hot buttered rum sauce. V brought the flowers when she came in  - she seems more grown up every time I see her! I had forgotten how turbulent the early twenties can seem ... she has a problem room mate  and a bestie who seems to be headed for trouble, derailed from a potentially brilliant career by a weird new boyfriend. Her insights were very comforting- I’m glad she knows what trouble looks like, but it’s sad that some things must be learned on ones own. She asked me to talk with the girl when she’s here at Christmas and I will if it seems right.
Those feet up on the table will multiply to a total of six pair this year. We are missing Two and her Sweetheart this year.

I am thankful for this time in my life. 60 has been great and I feel hopeful for good days ahead. It’s good to be healthy and at a low stress time.
Pictures from that hobby I picked up this year will be forth coming. I don’t think it has the staying power of a hobby, maybe a pastime.

I’m reading up on Enneagram  “stuff” lately. I don’t know really what I think of it yet but the popular characterizations may be too much of a short cut to understanding. What I’m really excited to write posts about so that I might better understand it are my notes on the Jewish Festivals. I’m still waiting on a few Zola booklets to help my understanding, but that Festival thing really should be part of  our basic knowledge.

Today I read an apparently well known Jewish parable  -

There once was a mighty king who owned the finest diamond in all the world.  People came from far and near to see the precious stone, which sat glowing in a display case.

One day the king passed the case and decided he wished to hold the stone that had given him such pleasure. As he stood gazing at it, a flash of sunlight happened to strike at a certain angle and the king noticed for the first time that his diamond had a flaw.

So precious had the jewel become to him that the ruler was distraught. He called for his advisers to tell him what to do. The advisers pondered and could arrive at no solution. Finally, by consensus they agreed the king should offer a reward to anyone who could come forward and ease the ruler’s pain.

The reward was duly posted and the amount was substantial. Word traveled quickly and soon jewelers from throughout the land lined up to offer their suggestions.  Each viewed the stone and shook his head. No, the stone was permanently flawed and the only alternative offered to the sad king was to cut the diamond at the flaw line and make two smaller stones. To this the king would not agree.

Finally, all the jewelers had been heard. Left standing was a poor bedraggled man who had been pushed to the end of the line by all the others. Eyeing him, the king asked if he, too, were a jeweler.

No, I am not, your highness. I do lapidary work. I see beauty not only in precious jewels but in stones from the ground, as well.

The king hesitated a moment and thought carefully. He nearly turned the lowly man away, but there was something that glowed in the lapidist’s eyes that caught and held the king’s attentions, some sureness.

Your highness, if you will permit, I can not only restore the jewel, but I can bring it to even greater beauty than it had before. Please trust me.

The king stood quite still, his hands behind his ermine-bedecked velvet robes.  Finally, after what seemed an eternity to all who listened, he ordered the lapidist to begin his work.

His advisors were aghast.

How can you trust such a man with such a jewel?

No! Sire, please reconsider.

But the king held firm.

You may proceed, he said, but be aware that if you fail you will die.

I understand, sire, said the little man.

He was given a special room in which to work, one that glowed in the sunlight from many sides. The king watched as the man examined the stone and began chiseling around the imperfection. Startled, the king demanded to know why the lapidary was furthering damaging the stone.

Please, your highness, he said, wait until I am done and you shall see I have not damaged the diamond.

A week went by, and then another. Frequently the king would stop into the workshop, and each time the lapidist would assure him and then reassure him that all was going well.

Finally, the great day came. With a look of pride the poor man entered the king’s chamber and, kneeling, presented the ruler with the finished jewel. The king loved his diamond so greatly that he actually feared what he might see.

Then, after saying a small prayer to his god, he looked down at the gem now glowing in the palm of his hand. What he saw brought such an aura of joy to him that it matched the happiness on the lapidist’s face.

What the man had done was to engrave a rosebud around the imperfection and in creating the rosebud he used the flaw as its stem.

The king was truly awed for the poor man had kept his word. Not only did he have his precious stone but it was now even more special as the flower glistened from every angle.