The Story of the "Stone Soup" ~ Limitless Abundance.

There are many variations on the story of stone soup, but they all involve a traveller coming into a town beset by famine.

The inhabitants of the Town try to discourage the traveller from staying, afraid that he wants them to give him food.

They tell him in no uncertain terms that there's no food anywhere to be found.

The traveller calmly explains that he doesn't need any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share with all of them!

The villagers watch on suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water.

With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from his bag, dropping the stone into the pot of water. He sniffs the brew joyously and exclaims how delicious stone soup is!

As the villagers begin to show interest, he mentions how good the soup would be with just a little cabbage in it.

A villager brings out a cabbage to share.

This episode repeats itself until the soup has cabbage, carrots, onions, and beets--indeed, a substantial soup that feeds everyone in the village.

What can we learn from from this story?

For me, this story highlights our human tendency to hoard in times of deprivation. We all remember the "Toilet Roll" crisis of 2020 :)

When we experience scarcity or "fear" over lack, we pull back and put all of our energy into self-preservation, often isolating ourselves and disconnecting from others.

As the story of stone soup reveals, in doing so, we often deprive ourselves and everyone else of a feast beyond our imagination.

This metaphor plays out in other areas of our lives too. We "hoard" our ideas, our love, our money and other material things as we believe we will be richer, happier, safer if we keep them to ourselves.

In truth these actions limit us in receiving the Abundance that is our birthright.

We make the world, and ourselves, poorer whenever we greedily stockpile our reserves. The traveller was able to see that the villagers were holding back, and he had the genius to draw them out and inspire them to give, thus creating a spread that none of them could have created alone.

Are you like one of the villagers, holding back?

Allowing yourself to come forward and share your gifts, you will inspire others to do the same and the reward is a banquet that can nourish many!