Posts Tagged: mutual aid

“A Recipe for Stone Soup”

On June 3, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

Here is one of my twelve-step readings for today. Since I am trying to learn to cook, I liked this recipe a lot. It is simple.

“Wednesday, June 3

Men will find that they can prepare with mutual aid far more easily what they need and avoid far more easily the perils which beset them on all sides, by united forces.

  —Baruch Spinoza

Three travelers stopped in a small town on their way to the city. They had tents to sleep in, but no food or money. They knocked on doors asking for a little food, but the people were poor, with little to eat and nothing to spare.

Cheerfully, they returned to their camp and built a fire. “What are you doing?” asked a bystander, “Building a fire with nothing to cook?”

“But we do have something to cook!” they said. “Our favorite dish, stone soup. We only need a pot.”

“I think I can find one,” said one of the bystanders, and she ran home to fetch it.

When she returned, the travelers filled the pot with water and placed two large stones in it. “This will be the finest soup we’ve ever made!” said the first traveler. “I agree,” said the second, “but don’t you think it would taste better with a cabbage in it?”

“I think I can find one,” said another bystander. And so it went the whole afternoon until, by evening, the travelers had a hearty, fragrant feast, which they shared with the hungry townspeople.

What can I do with help today, that I couldn’t do alone?” (From Today’s Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©1985, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.)

There isn’t much I can add to this. I think I’ll go build a fire!

(You can purchase this book from Hazelden Publishing. Hazelden publishes lots of good things. While not overtly Christian or even religious, they are often very helpful, even if you’re not an addict.)

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