Keeper of Spring :
This is the story of the “ Keeper of the Spring, “ a quiet forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slopes of the Alps. An Old gentleman had been hired many hired many years earlier by a young town councilman to clear away the debris for the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the lovely spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent regularity, he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and branches, and wiped the slit that would otherwise have choked and contaminated the fresh flow of water. The village soon became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the crystal spring, the mill wheels of various businesses located near the water turned day and night, farmlands were naturally irrigated, and the view from restaurants was picturesque beyond description.
Years passed. One evening, the town council met the semiannual meeting. As they reviewed the budget, one man’s eye caught the salary figure being paid to the obscure keeper of the spring. Said the keeper of the purse, “ Who is this Old man ? Why do we keep him year after year ? No one ever sees him. For all we know, the strange ranger of the hills is doing us no good. He isn’t necessary any longer. “ By unanimous vote, they dispensed with the old man’s services.
For several weeks, nothing changed.
By early autumn the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped of and fell into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of sparkling water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish – brown tint in the spring. A few days later the water was much darker. Within another week slimy film covered sections of the water along the banks, and a foul odor was soon detected. The mill wheels moved more slowly, some finally ground to a halt. Swans left, as did the tourists. Clammy fingers of diseases and sickness reached deeply into the village.
Quickly, the embarrassed council called a special meeting. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they rehired the old keeper of the spring, and within a few weeks, the veritable river of life began to clear up. The wheels started to turn, and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps.
Never become discouraged with the seeming smallness of your task, job or life.
Cling fast to the words of Edward Everett Hale :
“ I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to something I can do. “ The key to accomplish is believing that what you can do will make a difference.
