Making a difference

Can we be like drops of water falling on the stone

Splashing, breaking, dispersing in air
Weaker than the stone by far but be aware
That as time goes by the rock will wear away
And the water comes again

         Wow!  This song comes back to me 20 years after I first heard Holly Near sing "The Rock Will Wear Away" at my first ever "women's music" concert.  We all exited the theatre singing, feeling empowered, connected and sure of this truth.

The Metta of Change – from individual to community to the world.  Can we imagine accomplishing changes together by our simple actions?  I believe so, as the song reminds me.

It takes effort, I think, others say to me, to one another.  Less so, apparently, if I am listening to that ubiquitous, pesky "inner voice".  For years, and I mean years, I felt I was the only one who didn’t know what I wanted, didn’t have a feeling of belonging, a clarity of purpose.  I didn’t know what I truly wanted to be when I grew up, though, essentially everyone is always who we are going to be.  There are people in my life who are drawn to their path with seemingly little searching and I have envied that.  My talented and focused brother-in-law Lee and nephew Samuel found their paths with clear direction.  Me, I have been a wanderer, a dabbler, a good generalist and all round good learner, but frustrated.  I have followed a snake’s circuitous path. 

Just recently I let go of thinking an “inner voice” would speak to me like the angel Gabriel.  I listened to a voice that said, it’s alright, and the effort slipped away.  The creative part of myself, fractured early on by multiple life experiences that I let determine my self-definition, has suddenly bubbled up, splashing and energized.  I feel the capillary action of water, drawing me up, filling me with ideas and possibilities.  Where am I going?  It is still a snake-like path, but bubbling and bursting in the air.

This blog is not intended to be a “I have found my calling and yes, you can too!”   My focus on change has been one of the tools that helped get me out of feeling stuck.  And, water has kept seeping into my consciousness, reminding me of flexibility, vitality and clarity. So, to water, one live and vibrant element, I am grateful.

 

The first of many change challenges for anyone who has made it thus far.  Use it or you lose: it is really true.  As the years go by, we do fewer and fewer new things.  Our brains get rigid and our bodies even more so.  Try doing a somersault if you haven’t done one in a long time, then you might see what I mean.  Generally, we walk, brush our teeth, put the paper in the printer, hug our dog the same way.  Face it, our lives are routinized.  Our bodies used to fewer and fewer movements.  New is good and good for all of you that know this.  The challenge…to do something this week you have never, ever done before.  Learn how to say, I love you in Latvian, or try running backwards while singing "Happy Birthday" or eat a food that you've never tried.  Silly is good, laughing is better and I hope you have fun.  Life can be quite amazing!