White Wolf
A woman knelt down to pray as she always did. She held her hands close to her chest and said, "God, you know I never ask for anything much for myself. I am a modest woman with simple needs. But, there is one thing...though, I fear your response..." The woman continued her prayer in her heart with only with the movement of her lips.
When she finished praying, she went to bed and arose the next morning, forgetting all about her prayer. She went about her day in the usual way.
Then, there was a knock at the door. It was her cousin.
"Cousin!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" the woman asked, opening the door a bit wider to let her in.
"I've come to deliver a message to you." the cousin explained as she entered the house and sat down.
"Last night, I had the strangest dream. In this dream, I was walking in the forest and I saw a white wolf just ahead of me among the bushes. The wolf was beautiful and strong and the color of its fur reflected the moonlight. What a gorgeous sight to behold! But, as I cautiously approached the wolf and looked closer, I could see that the wolf had something stuck in its paw. It was a thorn. I asked the wolf if I could take it out. But, the wolf, seeming to understand me, went from calm to terrified. It began to shake and tremble at the idea that someone would touch the thorn. Then, it put its head down in shame and turned away from me. Not understanding the wolf's reaction, I put my hand on its shoulder and asked again if I could help. But, the wolf pulled away from me and laid down on the ground. Suddenly, I could hear someone behind me. It was the Keeper of the woods. I asked Him what was wrong with this beautiful white wolf and why did it fear my touch so much?
"This wolf is a gem to me," the Keeper said affectionately. "No other creature can touch my heart the way this one does. But, her thorn keeps her from moving freely throughout my woods. I have built great trust with her, but she will not let me pull the thorn from her. She is ashamed of it as if it were part of her and a blemish she must live with for the rest of her life. She does not know that that ugly thorn has nothing to do with her value to me and it is not even her fault that she has been afflicted this way."
"That is a fascinating dream." the woman said to her cousin.
"Yes," the cousin agreed, "it felt extremely real to me - as if it were not even a dream at all. The Voice of the Keeper, the smell of the woods, the feel of the wolf's fur. It all was so vivid! But, there is one more thing. Before I awoke, the Keeper told me to come to you today, describe my dream, and give you this message."
"What is it?" the woman said curiously, her eyes widening.
The cousin, taking the woman's hand, said, "It's time to let Him have your paw."
When she finished praying, she went to bed and arose the next morning, forgetting all about her prayer. She went about her day in the usual way.
Then, there was a knock at the door. It was her cousin.
"Cousin!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" the woman asked, opening the door a bit wider to let her in.
"I've come to deliver a message to you." the cousin explained as she entered the house and sat down.
"Last night, I had the strangest dream. In this dream, I was walking in the forest and I saw a white wolf just ahead of me among the bushes. The wolf was beautiful and strong and the color of its fur reflected the moonlight. What a gorgeous sight to behold! But, as I cautiously approached the wolf and looked closer, I could see that the wolf had something stuck in its paw. It was a thorn. I asked the wolf if I could take it out. But, the wolf, seeming to understand me, went from calm to terrified. It began to shake and tremble at the idea that someone would touch the thorn. Then, it put its head down in shame and turned away from me. Not understanding the wolf's reaction, I put my hand on its shoulder and asked again if I could help. But, the wolf pulled away from me and laid down on the ground. Suddenly, I could hear someone behind me. It was the Keeper of the woods. I asked Him what was wrong with this beautiful white wolf and why did it fear my touch so much?
"This wolf is a gem to me," the Keeper said affectionately. "No other creature can touch my heart the way this one does. But, her thorn keeps her from moving freely throughout my woods. I have built great trust with her, but she will not let me pull the thorn from her. She is ashamed of it as if it were part of her and a blemish she must live with for the rest of her life. She does not know that that ugly thorn has nothing to do with her value to me and it is not even her fault that she has been afflicted this way."
"That is a fascinating dream." the woman said to her cousin.
"Yes," the cousin agreed, "it felt extremely real to me - as if it were not even a dream at all. The Voice of the Keeper, the smell of the woods, the feel of the wolf's fur. It all was so vivid! But, there is one more thing. Before I awoke, the Keeper told me to come to you today, describe my dream, and give you this message."
"What is it?" the woman said curiously, her eyes widening.
The cousin, taking the woman's hand, said, "It's time to let Him have your paw."
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