Polishing Stones

​If you know me well, then you are aware of my love of polished rocks. I don’t really know when it started, but sometime in my adulthood, I discovered that I love how they feel in my hand, and I love how they look. I especially love the fact that each beautiful, polished rock, started out looking very ordinary…with rough edges that hide its true beauty, like something you would just step on or over if you saw it on the Walmart parking lot. 

How long does it take to change?

However, if I take this rock  and throw it into a river it can literally be transformed into something absolutely beautiful. 
 
Change takes time. Without a doubt, one of the first questions I get when a client comes to me to help them through change is, “How long is this going to take?” It is then that I pull out one of my beautiful polished rocks and help them understand that there are 3 things that determine how quickly a rock will get polished when thrown into a river. 
 
First, how hard is the rock? The harder the rock, the more difficult change is going to be. A hard rock resists change, but a soft rock will allow the ebb and flow of the water to knock its edges off more easily. It’s transformation is not only quicker, but the flow of the water becomes less painful as it has less and less resistance from the rock.
Are you a hard rock? Or a soft one?
 
The second thing that determines how quickly a rock will be transformed in a river deals with how rough is the water? When we live in calm, placid waters, not a lot of change takes place. It is when the waters get rough and high that we find ourselves getting the rough edges taken down noticeably. So when you find yourself cursing the high waters you seem to be living in, take a moment and express gratitude for the very power that is causing positive change in your life. 
 
The third thing that determines the rate of change is the length of time the rock stays in the water. Often, people saythey want to change, but when they realize that the water can at times be rough and cold, they find themselves scrambling, once again, for dry land. As understandable as this is, we won’t find transformation on the shores. Transformation only happens in the water. 
 
This week, try asking yourself, 

• Am I a soft rock? What can I do to be softer? 
• Are my waters rough? If so, how can I remind myself that rough waters are a blessing? 
• How long am I willing to stay in the water?

 
Embracing the process of change is the fastest way to doing, having, or being more, and I’m grateful to be on the front lines, watching your true colors and beauty shining through!

---