Lessons from Water

When was the last time you faced adversity? How did you react to it? The answers are probably, very recently and its quite possible the reaction was a strong, forceful one. One meant to get you through the situation as quickly as possible.

This week I was in Yakutat Alaska fishing for Coho Salmon on the Ankau River. As I waited for the fish to arrive, I looked to the water to see what lesson I could learn. I fell into deep thought about some of the adversity I faced the previous year. As my mind drifted in thought, my eyes focused on the way the water flowed underneath the bridge I was on. I was surprised to see what happened when the water came into contact with the enormous support pillars. As it made contact with each pillar, the water formed little eddys, or circular currents of water, as it maneuvered around and then past the pillars. The lesson was as clear as the water I was looking at.

We must approach adversity the same way water does, with gentle thoughtfulness. Slowing down and thinking during adversity will help us to figure out how we can maneuver around the situation with the least amount of energy. The water did it so well, it actually appeared to Waltz around the pillar. This does not mean we avoid our problems, the water certainly didn’t avoid the pillar, it actually made direct contact with the pillar. But instead of using brute force to push the pillar away, it gently maneuvred around each one with graceful circular motions, similar to the Waltz. It actually continued to Waltz past the pillar as if it enjoyed its contact with the pillar.

Imagine that, doing the Waltz after dealing with adversity. Its a possibility, because the rain doesn’t last forever, eventually it stops and you see the rainbow. Try slowing down and thinking about the diversity in front of you, it will make a big difference in how you emerge from the trial.