Sunday, February 21, 2010

Breakthrough

On a walk today with the kids, we came across a quiet pond that had frozen over very thinly with a still-transparent layer of ice. For a while, we played at "skipping" stones across the water, trying not to break the ice while getting the stones as far as possible.

At the end of it all, the smooth surface of the pond was scattered with stones of various sizes. Looking at these, I imagined the moment that would inevitably come for each when the ice beneath would melt just enough that the stone would slip through. It will almost certainly happen suddenly - even though the incremental softening of the ice will have gone on for some time beforehand.

I reflected on how our lives are so much the same. There are moments of acute change that come on us suddenly, demarcating past from future in ways that are very obvious 'features' on the landscape of our lives. Of course, all such changes come as the result of the same kind of slow, incremental preparatory steps that precede the crisis moment for the stones scattered on the pond ice, but because of the way we tend to look at our lives, they are typically perceived as moments of crisis.

All of this seems relevant, I suppose, because the last month or so has seen a "softening of the ice" around the stone of my own life. It's clear that a moment of demarcation is just around the corner.

Does the stone fear the change that is coming for it? No. After all- It's been through all of this before... more times than we can imagine.

4 comments:

  1. Despite my quasi-skepticism about astrology, I do find that Google Astrology does a positively spooky job of nailing where I'm at... more often than I'm comfortable admitting.
    Today's:

    Sagittarius
    By Rick Levine
    You are hopeful for a positive outcome from the difficult personal growth work you have been doing, even if others have not yet noticed a difference. You might get a bit discouraged today because you are tired of waiting for results, especially if those around you seem to be having an easier time than you are now. But don't let your impatience spoil the good news that may be just around the next corner.

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  2. Absolutely beautiful. I emailed this link to my children. Life is so fragile. I have been working on personal growth for 20+ years. Every day is an adventure, a challenge, and a joy. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. I agree with Heather lol...
    Beautiful

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  4. Thanks, man. Needed that, today.

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