This crystal story is also published in Sacred Stones: How the Power of the Earth Can Change Your Life, a delightful collection of stories gathered by Maril Crabtree on the magical properties of rocks.

Crystal Children

Stones that make their way into our lives are similar to the newborns mothers give birth to. These hardened pebbles and crystal formations are children that wish for us to temporarily care for them. During the period of time that they are in our possession they offer us lessons. Not unlike a new baby, each new stone brings its unique energies into our space. These various energies challenge us to explore areas within our lives that require expansion. A particular stone may challenge your viewpoints, another stone will expand your horizons, and yet another will stretch your creativity, and so on. Ultimately, all gemstones help to promote personal growth in us one way or another.

When the purpose or lesson that a stone offered has been realized the stone will often move along to another place or into the hands of another person. You may discover that you have misplaced a favorite stone that had become a good friend, or you will feel an urgency to give away a particular stone to another person. This is the way of stones, they belong to no one forever. Although we may feel sad when we lose a cherished stone, it is natural for stones to leave us when the appropriate time has come. This is also true of our children. We are their caretakers only for a few short years. At some point, if we have done our parental jobs right children will eventually grow wings and venture out on their own. Each child will develop at his or her own speed when making strides out into the world

I have been enormously blessed in motherhood. I gave birth to three beautiful children, two sons and a daughter. The years they were under my care to nurture and love are very precious to me. I continue to have close relationships with my children, but our relationships are continuously evolving. Their needs are very different now from when they were very small.

A few years ago I was taking a nature walk along a worn pathway near the beach while vacationing in the Caribbean. Low in the bushes I spied a small bird nest. The nest was empty and I instinctively knew that it was there waiting for me. This small now-abandoned nest symbolized the empty nest experiences that I had been struggling with at that time. I gently picked up the nest and wrapped it in some tissues and tucked it carefully inside my beach bag to carry home with me.

That nest was not meant to be empty for long. Soon afterwards I came to possess three egg-shaped gemstones that I have since gently placed inside the hollow of the nest. I feel that each stone is in small ways representative of the children who no longer depend on my constant care. The largest blue stone is a chrysocolla, the medium-sized stone is an orange calcite is and the smallest is a black and white speckled stone known as a snowflake obsidian. The energies and properties in each of these stones is as varied and unique as the characteristics and personalities of my three children. Some days when my thoughts are filled of my children I will hold these three child-stones cupped inside the palms of my hands for a few minutes Other times, I will scoop up only one of the stones and hold it individually as my mind wanders in the direction of one son or daughter. Feeling the warmth and vibrational energies of these stones inside my hands reminds me how I am forever energetically-connected with my children, never mind that they are not always in my physical presence.

Perhaps one day I'll have grandchildren to love and pamper. If I do it would not surprise me if more egg-shaped grandchild-stones representing their essences will find their way to me. If this happens I'll happily tuck them alongside these three child-stones in my not-so-empty nest.

Copyright © 2004 - Phylameana lila Desy