Waterfalls are beautiful, inspirational, and awesome (in the true sense of that word). There are tiny waterfalls that may dry up during hot summer months and there are enormous waterfalls like Niagra Falls that are continuous and powerful. They are wonderful to watch, the power that is involved and the interplay of light, sound, motion, and sensation are truly an experience to be savored.
I think there is something else about waterfalls that we do not often consider. Every waterfall comes from a stream of some sort. Small creeks to powerful rivers can all produce waterfalls and this makes me think that there is something to be learned in these natural wonders. The ancient philosopher, Heraclitus, said that “no man steps into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man”. The river is, of course ever changing, as it flows.
A waterfall represents the breaking up of the stream into millions of drops of water as it flows from higher to lower stream beds. If we think of streams as metaphors for life itself, we have something to learn. First, that life is not all that it seems at the surface. Below the surface, there is a flow going on that is never at rest. Second, life like the stream is ever changing. Life continues to move forward, with or without us wanting to go. Third, water itself has enormous power and can be used to wear away even the largest mountain.
If you live life long enough, the flowing stream we call life is going to fall and be broken into millions of little pieces. It is just not possible to stop it from happening. Someone beloved dies, relationships end and we are broken into millions of pieces. And yet, if you stand at the bottom of the waterfall, you will find a stream that flows away from the falls, with all of its pieces back in place.
We fear the waterfalls of life. Death is overwhelming, break ups are crushing, and still the stream flows from one level to the next. What gets us (and the stream) to the next level is the waterfall. We have to believe that at the end of the day, all of the water drops come back together in a stream that once again becomes more peaceful and calm.
Don’t fear the waterfalls in life. Like the stream, life might break into a million little pieces, but life will come back together and flow at a new level. Holding back the water never works, so don’t try to stop the flow of life. Instead, be confident that no matter how high the waterfall, at the bottom, there is a new stream.
TMM