Over the last decade or so, my husband and I often remark at how much he recalls his younger life and just how little I can recall mine! There are times he looks at me in disbelief – thinking I am not telling the truth. But, the real truth of the matter is that I DON’T recall much of my childhood or even later into my teens, 20’s and 30’s.

Have I seen a doctor? No. What’s the point. I have photos to look at so I know I was there!

Does it make me sad? I have asked myself that question many times. The answer I get sounds something like: Well, maybe you are not supposed to remember in the way you think you should. You feel a lot of things and maybe it is just too much to hold on to. OK this sounds good to me.

The day before yesterday I penned some new goals for myself. Another pivot. I felt pretty good about them. That yin/yang of fear and excitement which is a intuitive sign that perhaps its ok to move ahead. Writing some notes in the middle of the night to keep them fresh I slept well.

The following morning I sat at the computer to weed through my emails that were piling up. (side note: I should be in ITALY right NOW with my MOTHER in an ITALIAN IMMERSION school in PUGLIA. I am not. She is not. But more on that later) I quickly started dumping, Then just before I hit delete on the most recent DailyOM, I stopped. The title read “Living Like Water”. My gut said stop.

It is a quick article but one that resonated with me deeply. I would mention the author but none was given. Here is the gist:

“Water is a great teacher that shows us how to move through the world with grace, ease, determination, and humility.”

The journey of water flowing on earth can be a mirror of our own paths through life. The author suggests that from the beginning as water falls to the earth from the heavens it continues on a journey that does not look back but keeps moving forward. The rain/stream being the beginning of our life. The river flowing within it’s banks are those things which define us. We are molded and shaped by our family, location, genetics, born with differing sets of gifts and challenges. These are the parameters through which we navigate much of our life, flowing, like the river, along it’s banks. Waterfalls are possible. These are the falls, the breaks but what happens to water? Water gains energy and moves on. And, if there are holes to be filled, it bravely fills the empty space. Finally that river will empty into the sea. There is no hesitation to join a larger body of water, no loss of identity or control. It just gracefully opens to the vastness of what’s next. As we move to the end of our lives or perhaps every time we can conquer the ego enough to become part of something bigger, we humble.

Water can inspire us not to become rigid.

Water can allow us to let go of what is familiar and rigid.

Water is brave and does not cling to the past, flowing onward and never looking back.

Water fills the empty spaces – the dark moments of our lives.

Water contributes to the good of all.

This may not resonate with you the way it did with me since I had to share it here, but it did give me some peace and another assurance that Living Like Water isn’t so bad.

Lea