The Irish poet, priest, and philosopher John O’Donohue (1956-2008) wrote,
Fluent
I would like to live
Like a river flows.
Carried by the surprise
Of its own unfolding.
I’m glad for the image of water, flowing. I’m glad for the invocation of how the river is never the same twice. It changes. As do we.
The river and its flow are as close as I can find to what we humans are in our shifting consciousness, or perhaps spirit. We too, are never the same twice. We too, are carried by an inherent unfolding.
There is something compellingly inviting to me in the invitation to notice ourselves, others, and the many scales of composite, as flowing.
The river is not the water, nor the banks.
We humans, in these many places of dwelling, are not just mind, nor are we just shells for physiology.
For when we, like the river, are seen as mystery in motion, ah, then it gets so much more interesting and alive.
I too, would like to be a bit more fluent in all of that.
Hello Monday.