--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like a stone on the surface of a still…" description: "\"Like a stone on the surface of a still river Driving the ripples on forever Redemption rips through the surface of time In the cry of a tiny babe.\" — B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg" --- # Like a stone on the surface of a still river Driving the… ![“Like a stone on the surface of a still river Driving the ripples on forever Redemption rips through the surface of time In the cry of a tiny babe.” quote by Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg) > “Like a stone on the surface of a still river Driving the ripples on forever Redemption rips through the surface of time In the cry of a tiny babe.” [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The metaphor juxtaposes a stone creating ripples with redemption breaking time’s surface, suggesting small actions can have lasting, transformative effects. **In simple terms:** Small actions create lasting change. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of small deeds. Themes reflection spirituality change Mood reflective philosophical Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - conflict resolution - creative expression - social activism Key Concepts metaphor time redemption Questions to Reflect On - How do you see your actions ripple outward? - What does redemption mean to you? A Different Perspective Redemption may not be immediate or obvious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Babe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babe/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Forever Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever-redemption-3859002/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Redemption Rips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption-rips-3858999/) [Rip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rip/) [Ripple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ripple/) [Ripples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ripples/) [Ripples Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ripples-forever-3858997/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny/) [Tiny Babe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny-babe-3859001/) ## Related quotes > [Trauma - that violence ripples forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/trauma-that-violence-ripples-forever/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Your actions is like a raindrop; it falls into the pond making ripples and then its over...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/your-actions-is-like-a-raindrop-it-falls-into-the-pond-making-ripples/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What did a few ripples in the flesh matter when, all too soon, now or later, that flesh would be making its return journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-godwin/what-did-a-few-ripples-in-the-flesh-matter-when-all-too-soon-now-or/) [Gail Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-godwin/) > [Just as ripples radiate from the place where a stone is thrown into a pool of water, our sometime-unconscious thoughts, feelings, emotions, and beliefs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-braden/just-as-ripples-radiate-from-the-place-where-a-stone-is-thrown-into-a/) [Gregg Braden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-braden/) > [What I want to bring out is how a pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/what-i-want-to-bring-out-is-how-a-pebble-cast-into-a-pond-causes/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Our wings are small but the ripples of the heart are infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/our-wings-are-small-but-the-ripples-of-the-heart-are-infinite/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [I have listened to many tales in my life, and told a few of my own. If this has taught me anything, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/i-have-listened-to-many-tales-in-my-life-and-told-a-few-of-my-own-if/) [Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/) > [The mind is like a lake. It reflects eternity when it's very still. If ripples appear, lots of them, then the reflection is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-mind-is-like-a-lake-it-reflects-eternity-when-it-s-very-still-if/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/just-as-ripples-spread-out-when-a-single-pebble-is-dropped-into-water/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I think we ripple on into others, just like a stone puts its ripples into a brook. That, for me, too, is a source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-think-we-ripple-on-into-others-just-like-a-stone-puts-its-ripples/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Just as a pebble thrown into the water creates ripples, so our thoughts create similar effects on our palms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/just-as-a-pebble-thrown-into-the-water-creates-ripples-so-our/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [It's like, imagine the ripples on top of an ocean. And I'm in a rowboat, reactively dealing with the waves and water coming into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-oz/it-s-like-imagine-the-ripples-on-top-of-an-ocean-and-i-m-in-a-rowboat/) [Mehmet Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-oz/) > [You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripples for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/you-want-to-be-the-pebble-in-the-pond-that-creates-the-ripples-for/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [“We make the flow against what ripples us and we make the ripple against what stops us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/we-make-the-flow-against-what-ripples-us-and-we-make-the-ripple/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [Certain people have said that the world is like a calm pond, and that anytime a person does even the smallest thing, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/certain-people-have-said-that-the-world-is-like-a-calm-pond-and-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Bruce Cockburn > [It sounds strange to say it, but you can be in a war zone and have a lot of fun. Even though war is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/it-sounds-strange-to-say-it-but-you-can-be-in-a-war-zone-and-have-a/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [I'd always loved poetry and I'd always loved writing music and composing music, but I hadn't thought of putting the two together until around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/i-d-always-loved-poetry-and-i-d-always-loved-writing-music-and/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [My models for graceful aging are guys like John Lee Hooker and Mississippi John Hurt, who never stopped working till they dropped, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/my-models-for-graceful-aging-are-guys-like-john-lee-hooker-and/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > ['Gifts' was just a short little one-verse song that I used to close shows in the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/gifts-was-just-a-short-little-one-verse-song-that-i-used-to-close/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Music itself isn't enough to completely wear down my stash of anger. And I don't have all that much more to be angry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/music-itself-isn-t-enough-to-completely-wear-down-my-stash-of-anger/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [In between effect and cause and just beyond the range of normal sight, this glittering joker was dancing in the dragon's jaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/in-between-effect-and-cause-and-just-beyond-the-range-of-normal-sight/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [When you know even for a moment That it's your time Then you can walk with the power Of a thousand generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/when-you-know-even-for-a-moment-that-it-s-your-time-then-you-can-walk/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [A number of Iraqis told us they had welcomed the U.S. forces as liberators initially but in the intervening months, they had come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/a-number-of-iraqis-told-us-they-had-welcomed-the-u-s-forces-as/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [The people who have impressed me most - and the closest I've come to having heroes - are the people who have devoted their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/the-people-who-have-impressed-me-most-and-the-closest-i-ve-come-to/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Sometimes I catch myself doing something that I've already done. The more I've done, the more that's likely to happen. Then I just throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/sometimes-i-catch-myself-doing-something-that-i-ve-already-done-the/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Anger is energy, and you've got to find a place to put it that works for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/anger-is-energy-and-you-ve-got-to-find-a-place-to-put-it-that-works/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Wave the flag, wave the Bible, wave your sex or your business degree, whatever you want, just don't wave that thing at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/wave-the-flag-wave-the-bible-wave-your-sex-or-your-business-degree/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [“Got to kick at the darkness 'till it bleeds daylight”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/got-to-kick-at-the-darkness-till-it-bleeds-daylight/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [All these years of thinking, ending up like this: In front of all this beauty, understanding nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/all-these-years-of-thinking-ending-up-like-this-in-front-of-all-this/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Everybody wants to see justice done, to somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/everybody-wants-to-see-justice-done-to-somebody-else/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) [Explore all 73 Bruce Cockburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) ## More Babe quotes > [ROSES ARE RED VIOLETS ARE BLUE YOU DID ME WRONG SO GUESS WAT BABE??FUKK YU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica/roses-are-red-violets-are-blue-you-did-me-wrong-so-guess-wat-babe/) [JESSICA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica/) > [You two faced threw your teeth u ain't nun but babe daddy go wash your feet go with the girl u so call sweet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherrykee/you-two-faced-threw-your-teeth-u-ain-t-nun-but-babe-daddy-go-wash/) [Cherrykee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherrykee/) > [“You’re all mine, babe. Knew it the first time I saw you. Couldn’t give you up if I tried.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-wylde/you-re-all-mine-babe-knew-it-the-first-time-i-saw-you-couldn-t-give/) [Joanna Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-wylde/) > [The home run became glorified with Babe Ruth. Starting with him, batters have been thinking in terms of how far they could hit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rogers-hornsby/the-home-run-became-glorified-with-babe-ruth-starting-with-him/) [Rogers Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rogers-hornsby/) > [You love young ones and babes, I know this. The young will always befriend and admire you...all the young ones of the earth belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/you-love-young-ones-and-babes-i-know-this-the-young-will-always/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [I just hate it when my baby try to chill with some other guy..hunny.!.if u really want to chill then please use A.C. not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritzy/i-just-hate-it-when-my-baby-try-to-chill-with-some-other-guy-hunny-if/) [Ritzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritzy/) > [“My heart slammed into my chest when he called her babe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-elliott/my-heart-slammed-into-my-chest-when-he-called-her-babe/) [Kelly Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-elliott/) > [Wine is the drink of the gods, milk the drink of babes, tea the drink of women, and water the drink of beasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-blackie/wine-is-the-drink-of-the-gods-milk-the-drink-of-babes-tea-the-drink/) [John Stuart Blackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-blackie/) > [I need a man who can call me beautiful with no makeup on, who can be himself around me, who can kiss me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idk/i-need-a-man-who-can-call-me-beautiful-with-no-makeup-on-who-can-be/) [Idk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idk/) > [“I shan't make a fuss over the babe's father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-shan-t-make-a-fuss-over-the-babe-s-father/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [This Christmas, as the spirit of the season permeates our hearts, let us do something that expresses our feelings in an outward way, showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-e-stevenson/this-christmas-as-the-spirit-of-the-season-permeates-our-hearts-let/) [Gary E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-e-stevenson/) > [Even as the unborn babe is in the womb of his mother, these five are fixed as his life destiny: his life span, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-as-the-unborn-babe-is-in-the-womb-of-his-mother-these-five-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Babe is one fellow, and I'm another and I could never be exactly like him. I don't try, I just go on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gehrig/the-babe-is-one-fellow-and-i-m-another-and-i-could-never-be-exactly/) [Lou Gehrig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gehrig/) > [“Babe, the only times I've been in you have been too fast. The next time I strip you down, I want to take my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/babe-the-only-times-i-ve-been-in-you-have-been-too-fast-the-next-time/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [Cute babe whom I love a lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reynold/cute-babe-whom-i-love-a-lot/) [Reynold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reynold/) [Browse all 528 Babe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Like a stone on the surface of a still river Driving the ripples on forever Redemption rips through the surface of time In the cry of a tiny babe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bruce Cockburn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-river-driving-the-ripples-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Babe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-river-driving-the-ripples-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/bruce-cockburn-9323_babe_like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-r_2050057.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like a stone on the surface of a still river Driving the ripples on forever Redemption rips through the…” — Bruce Cockburn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bruce Cockburn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Like a stone on the surface...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-river-driving-the-ripples-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/like-a-stone-on-the-surface-of-a-still-river-driving-the-ripples-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```