5/14/2010 – The River

I stood on a bridge over Boulder Creek and observed the flow of the river. It was 2pm in the afternoon and the air was still crisp at this time of year – the color of vanilla meringue cake but without the warmth. The snows still lingered in the shadows, while the paths and plants glistened with the leftovers from morning dew and the melted snow. The snow melt had accelerated and engorged the river’s flow, and it rushed down towards Boulder with the vigor of the coming spring which has unlocked its waters from slumber.

As I stood on the bridge observing the flow, it felt less natural for me to be looking into the waters below and seeing them coming at me than to look over the side of its downward flow.

How more natural it is for things to pour out of us than to pour in. Money, energy, ideas, emotions, words. How much harder it seems to be filled with things and to hold onto them. Perhaps we are not made to hold onto anything, but like the river simply flow and give ourselves away until we are spent. This seems to particularly appropriate to spring and the generation of new ideas and expenditure of stored resources to accomplish new goals.

The runners, who through the winter months were contained to more indoor, or more hardcore pursuits, were now out on the paths running in their new sports gear and wearing faces of determination. Exchanging a brief nod, short smile, or “hi” of acknowledgment as they passed me, their gaze returned to their destination. Now’s not the time to linger. Now’s the time to get going!

Perhaps one way of assessing the health of a person’s water element is by looking into what a person pours their life into and whether this leaves them exhausted or fulfilled. Are they reserved and held back fearing for not having enough, or do they live on a wing and a prayer, throwing all caution to the wind. Is their wood element aligned with the water’s possibilities and are plans and decisions being made in accordance with the water’s wisdom?

I pour my money into food, housing, books, schooling, and travel and I pour my energy into hiking, creative pursuits, and friendships. I’m not good at pouring energy into myself in any more of a direct way, or in holding onto resources as much as I think would be wise. All I do is I suppose is an investment in something – only I’m not sure whether all the payoffs will come, or stand the test of time.

Perhaps that is all we can do, to pour our Jing and Qi when the time is right with the wild abandon, but being aware to use this flow wisely as the season for wild abandon will soon require moderation by the coming of the element of Summer, the element of Fire.