Monday, July 13, 2009

Waves or currents...

Have you ever stood and looked at the ocean?

It is so vast and so powerful. On the surface the waves crash about, with force, swiftness, and sometimes destruction. They have the power to slam bodies to the ground, erode the shorelines, and break apart the boats that call it's surface their home. The waves come and go. When the storms are gone, the water is calm and most of the waves disappear. Some ripple on the shoreline, but most, batter the surface leaving a debris to be cleaned up and then fade away till the next time.

But, there are also currents that run through the monstrous body of water. They are not as visible. Sometime you can see where the water is moving.But many currents are deep and unseen. Like the waves, they are powerful also...in a different way. Whether the weather is stormy or calm, the currents are always present. They are continually mixing the oceans, creating a pathway for life and growth, and provide a steady stream of movement.

People are like waves and currents.

We all know waves. They are the people that create controversy (good or bad), yell the loudest, and sometimes do some collateral damage with their words and actions. They loudly voice opinion, spotlight an issue, or simply create some chaos for the sake of recognition...and then as quickly as they appear, they fade into the shadows leaving a trail of debris for others to manage and clear away.

Then there are the currents. They are the people that keep ideas and movements going. They are the lifeblood, the flow and the backbone of change, virtue and social consciousness. These "currents" continue long after the waves have died down and faded away. Some are visible, but most run just under the surface and out of plain sight. They clean up after the waves. They strengthen and rebuild what the waves have deconstructed. They are satisfied and proud of not needing to be in the spotlight.

Now, of course the world needs both waves and currents. Waves can bring attention to things that need to be more visible. But if we were all waves, at the end of the storm, all we would have left would be an ocean full of broken and sunken boats with no one to rebuild them. It is from the currents that growth and change continues.

Which are you? A wave....or a current?

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting analogy. I'm more of a current with occasional waves, some of which are dangerous.

    ReplyDelete

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