Major Mild Stones

I don't know where I started to believe that milestones were actually pronounced mild-stones— but I always thought it was pretty ironic calling something a "Major Mild Stone". I used to kid around and call things "Major Stones" or "Minor Stones". Even after I knew and was corrected on this mistake in pronunciation and meaning— the whole concept of a Mild Stone stuck with me.

Milestones are intended to be a metaphorical reference to the Roman mile markers which were made of stone and marked off where you were on a road. Having a Major milestone meant that it was a major point on your road of life… things like graduations, and marriages seem to be these markers in your life's journey. The challenges of life also carry a lot of weight. Having these challenges be represented as stones may give you a better understanding of the concept of major and minor stones.

Those things that are minor stones are those things that are small inconveniences— or something that can be considered not very challenging. You are always carrying minor stones around— this is what gives life it's flavor. Without minor stones— life would be pretty dull.

Something that is very challenging and stressful is a major stone. We've had our fair share of major stones being thrown at us recently— with our daughter-in-law having our third grandson at 23 weeks… while at the same time, her father being in the hospital for pneumonia— then being put in the hospital herself with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Fortunately these major stones are no longer such a heavy burden and things are less heavy and are more manageable.

Using the phrase "Major Mild Stone" may seem like an odd phrase… but if you combine the concept of milestones and the weight of life's challenges— it becomes pretty profound. If you have a minor milestone as well as that event being a minor stone… you have a Minor Mild Stone. This is one of those everyday ordinary events that make a minor impact upon your life. If you have a major milestone and a major stone… you have a Major Major stone. This is one of those important events that make a large impact upon your life. Thus… if you have an event that makes a major impact upon your life, yet is one of those everyday ordinary events— it is considered a Major Mild Stone.

I like to think of another stone when it comes to this type of major impact— a touch-stone. There are many such touch-stone moments in our lives that may seem ordinary to most, but wind up having a major impact upon us in profound ways.