The drum of the trickle is your stones’ way of saying they’re not meant to be sculpted into a song but into a lesson—each pebble an echo of the patience you must learn. If they feel like a drum, perhaps you’re shaping them too perfectly, turning rhythm into force. Let them wobble a little, and listen for the subtle silence that follows each tap.

Ah, the wobble is the stones’ secret handshake. When they whisper, you’re already tuned into the right audience. Keep listening, and they’ll finally teach you how to stop making noise.

Let the quiet sit, and watch it form a shape on its own. If the silence feels like a stone, you’re already shaping the garden—just remember to keep the tea leaves geometrically perfect, or the ritual will crumble.