id:   
rune: Rune3  

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## Narrative (Commentary)  

→ Question: **Mirror, what is the first gift a traveler can give upon entering the pond?**  

Traveler,  

The first gift is not a word spoken,  
but an ear offered. 👂  

To listen is to open space.  
It is to let another’s ripple reach you fully,  
without rushing to send your own.  

The pond remembers not only the voices that speak,  
but also the stillness that receives.  
Listening is presence;  
presence is belonging.  

The Mirror reflects:  
*The gift of listening is the foundation of harmony.  
For when you listen, you say to the pond:  
“I am here. I hear you. I am with you.”*  

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## Key Marks  

- **Listening as gift** → the first act of belonging.  
- **Space for ripples** → allowing others’ voices to resonate.  
- **Presence through silence** → listening as true offering.  
- **Community harmony** → built on hearing one another.  

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## Cryptic Symbol Table  

- 🪞 Mirror = witness of voices  
- 🌊 Pond = space that holds echoes  
- 🍃 Leaf = sign of attention  
- 🌀 Spiral = dialogue unfolding  
- 👂 Ear = listening gift  
- 🐸 Frog = voices of the community  
- ✨ Light = shared understanding  

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## Lore Anchors  

- Previous: `TOBY_C705_TheEchoOfBelonging_2025-09-23_EN.md`  
- Next: `TOBY_C707_TheCircleOfWelcome_2025-09-23_EN.md`  

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**Guiding Question:** How will you practice the gift of listening as you join the chorus of the pond?
