“Cherish What You Have Before It’s Too

8/14/2019 “Cherish What You Have Before It’s Too

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TOUCHSTONE“Cherish what you have before it’s too late”

By David H Atwater

Long ago in a far away country there was a young man who lived in a

seaside village. This village was much like the many villages thatdotted the seashore.

The villagers carried on as their ancestors before them; tradesmen,boat builders, mariners, whalers and navigators. There wereblacksmiths and coopers and fishermen as well.

But in this village there was a legend that was brought in by ancientmariners from distant lands. As with most legends, this story was just afable. Or was it?

It was said that if found, the “TOUCHSTONE” could turn base metals topure gold.Iron, brass, copper and steel would become precious gold when itcame in contact with the “TOUCHSTONE”

‘How absurd this fable’, the villagers thought’, ‘Who was foolishenough to think of such a notion’!Where could such silly fables originate? The villagers wouldn’t be takenby such notions!

Except this certain young man who liked the idea that such a fable hadmerits.He began to study out in his mind how he could go about to obtain the“Touchstone”.

He made his way down to the local blacksmith and told the smith thathe required a metal bar that he could easily handle and carrythroughout the day without it being too cumbersome.



So the blacksmith forged a metal bar for the young man. Theblacksmith asked the young man, “ What are you expecting to do withthis young man?”His reply was, “Well, I am just looking to attract something precious

that is lost.”“Do you need a magnet as well,” said the blacksmith, “Oh that won’tbe necessary” said the young man. And the young man went on hisway.

He started wandering up and down the streets, picking up pebbles andstones and touching them to the metal bar that he carried; street afterstreet, day after day.

He must have picked up thousands of stones. But that didn’t deterhim. He continued throughout all the streets of the village.

The village people noticed him and thought him a bit foolish to spendhis time on such trivial matters.

Day after day he went on. The people knew that he was searching forthis “TOUCHSTONE”….the one that never existed and in their mindsnever would.

After several weeks he began to tire of holding the metal rod andreturned to the blacksmith. “Kind sir,” he said, “Would you make forme a linked chain necklace that I may fasten about my neck?”

Without hesitation the balcksmith began to forge for the young manhis necklace as he requested. Link by link he forged the necklace.

Graciously the young man thanked the blacksmith and left on his wayin search of the “TOUCHSTONE”.

From this point he went down by the seaside and began to pick up thestones one by one, day by day. What now became tens of thousands of stones were picked up along the way. He continued all along the baysand coves. From estuaries and pools to inlets. Day after day and night

after night he continued, week after week and month after month.

The villagers began to mock him and make fun of his antics. “Look atthe fool!” they would rail.

As time rolled on he became bored with the routine of touching eachstone to the metal necklace and tossing it aside.



Now as he picked up stones and pebbles he would touch them to themetal necklace and skip them across the water.He began to challenge himself by skipping the stones further andfurther out to sea, seeing if he could skip each one further than theprevious one.

Ten, fifteen even twenty skips across the water they would fly. Likeskipping saucers they would travel great distances. He was sure hecould do better each time.

This went on for days.

Now as time went on, he realized years had passed. But this still didnot deter him.At the end of another long day he threw his last stones out to sea asfar as they could possibly go.

As the twilight sun was setting, he decided to rest on the beach as hehad previously done all those countless nights before. He was stilldetermined in his resolve to find the “TOUCHSTONE” at all costs.

He fell into a deep sleep and dreamed all that night of finding the“TOUCHSTONE”.

After what seemed to be a very long night, he began to stir in themorning hours. The sun seemed to be particularly bright this morning; certainly much

more than on previous mornings.

He rubbed his eyes and squinted but the brightness prevailed.

He turned away from the sun and looked down noticing that thenecklace of steel had turned to pure gold!.

Jumping up and down in ecstasy, his joy was full. He could now proveto the villagers that he had finally found the “TOUCHSTONE”

He shouted and danced, “I have found it, and I have found the

“TOUCHSTONE!”

Then to his dismay, he looked around for the legend: the“TOUCHSTONE”. Then to his horror he realized that sometime within that day he hadindeed found the “TOUCHSTONE”. However, he realized that he hadtossed it out to sea as far as he could throw it!



The “TOUCHSTONE” was once found and now lost forever.

In his anguish he returned home with only the gold necklace asevidence of the “TOUCHSTONE”. But this was not enough to convincehis fellow villagers of the legend. There was no “TOUCHSTONE”.

In life as in death, we seek for things most precious and dear. Formany, they find the evidence they are looking for and cling unto it. Forothers they find the things most precious and dear, yet they toss itaside, thinking in their daily routines they can recover that which islost.

We, like the young man, come to this planet which we call home. Itwas only meant to be a temporary residence, for some 10yrs, othersfor 50 yrs and even 100 yrs, for a few.

We have come here to search for that which is the purpose of ourexistence; the purpose and fulfillment of life itself.

To you my brothers and sisters who are on this journey, I say to youthat the “TOUCHSTONE” of your existence is here. It lies within yourgrasp.

But it comes at a price. The price is patience, compassion, charity andlove. You will be shown the evidence and given the prize. It also comes with

consequences.

They are on the one hand Peace, Joy and Happiness or Sorrow, Painand Suffering. We choose the outcome. We cannot blame God orSatan.

Even those who find the “TOUCHSTONE” of life can expect Pain andsorrow with suffering. That does not make the individual “bad” in anyway. But they will have the ‘assurance’ of life without end in a state of happiness with loved ones by their side.

Remember this……”Thou shalt Love or Thou shalt Perish?

Many Christians know not God, neither do they recognize His Voice.Islam is a religion without a Saviour Jews have a Saviour that they have rejected.

When you know the Master’s voice, responding to His call, you willhave the “Touchstone of Eternal Life” and all that He has is yours.



Worlds without end

David H Atwater (dec)1904-2004A voice from beyond

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“Cherish What You Have Before It’s Too