A few years ago, I was asked to give the invocation at the Porter County Community Foundation’s Annual Impact Tea for the Women’s Fund of Porter County.  I searched scripture, Rumi,  and quotes from great leaders for inspiration that captures the essence of the group. I stumbled across this story credited to an unknown author:

The Wise Woman’s Stone

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food with him. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone in her bag and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good forture. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for the rest of his life. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Please give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me something so precious. Please share with me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.”