“Every wave in the universe has its own integrity.”
—R. Buckminster Fuller
Imagine now, you're standing at the lip of a cliff at the edge of the world, observing the hypnotic motion of The Sea.
At the horizon line, you can't discern much movement, but you know the water is flowing, because you know that's what it does. And you marvel at its marriage with The Sun.
So you bring your attention closer, and you witness soft ripples in the distance. Lines, slowly moving lines—a majestic vision which minuscule words aren’t capable of capturing.
And as those lines move toward you, they arc into waves. So you watch them crest, picking up speed as they approach your perch.
And then, with great force, those waves crash into your rocky cliff, and they explode The Sea upward, and all around. And in that moment, something magical happens...
As the force of the water smacks the rocks, it breaks itself into billions of individualized drops.
And as those drops fly through the air, they look around at each other, and one says to the others, "hey, look at me, I'm a drop!"
To which another replies, "I'm also a drop, but I'm different than you!"
And as the drops look around at each other in mid-air, they see some who are bigger than them. Some who are smaller.
Some who catch the light of The Sun with shimmering brilliance, and then others who fly in their shadow.
And each drop believes so deeply in their individualized nature, they forget where they originated only moments before. They forget while, yes, they are a unique drop flying through the air, they are also The Sea.
So the drops spend their temporary flight calling out the differences between themselves. They laugh at each other, and say things like, "look at that drop… that one looks weird."
And, “I’m way different than that drop. We could never be the same.”
But then, in but a few passing moments, they return to where they came from, and finally they remember.
"Oh yes. How could I have forgotten. I am The Sea.”
And as quickly as they remember their true identity, what happens? Another set rolls in, and The Sea sprays itself once more.
Only, this time, one of the drops remembers the break, and who it really is. And it calls to the others, "Don't you remember, we are The Sea!"
But one of the others laughs and says, "what are you talking about, we are drops, can't you see?"
And another ardently remarks, "Look around, you fool. How could you claim we are more than what we can see we are?"
Yet, with confidence in its memory, that lone knowing drop soars with a cheshire smile. And it thinks to itself, "it's ok, you will remember soon."
And sure enough, only moments after the fall, The Sea laughs again in its wholeness, ready to spray again.
A time of remembering.
What a beautiful thing it is, to be a drop.
What a beautiful gift it is to forget who you are as you explode into a newly individualized, but temporary lifetime. And to embark on a solitary flight of remembrance, together.
But you must accept how some drops are more forgetful than others. Some get scared in the air and scream, "make it all stop", to the wind, while others enjoy the ride.
So when you remember, you must allow compassion to become your currency. You must fly in confidence, knowing your memory to be sound.
Because all individuals will remember in their own time. And as a great man once said, "we are all just walking each other home".
See you back here next Wednesday.
Do You Sea?