A Living Stream

Rain fell and puddles formed. The puddles overflowed and flopped into streams. Two unique streams merge and flow down as one stream. 

A wedding ceremony to show their work mates, their close friends, relatives and the wide world their new lives as one couple.

That house looks good. Close to work. They settle down. They flow along nice and comfortably. Nothing dramatic. Drift along enjoying where they are.

Another stream merges and joins them and makes their stream bigger. They welcome her arrival. A bit like him. A bit like her and a big bit like herself. More streams merge and make the main stream bigger and prouder. Look at us. A happy family of two adults and three children.

Their marriage drifts into trouble. A dam blocks their way. They unhappily float around fantasizing about a way downstream. Eventually they find a tiny, small gate and trickle through. The dam has given them wisdom. Taught them that every obstacle can be overcome. By carefully looking at themselves and their surroundings. They will find a way forward. And flow on bigger and better than ever.

Below the dam they drift effortlessly downstream. Calm, relaxed and healthy. The family enjoys themselves and avoids anything that looks like trouble.

They pass a stagnant marshy swamp. They look at it. Don’t like the look of that. Not for us now.  Let’s continue drifting.  

The stream enters a beautiful pool. Idyllic. An overhanging tree. Full of aquatic life. Fish and insects. They drift and float. Isn’t life beautiful. They enjoy the moment. They are oblivious to all upstream and downstream areas.  

 

The children become teenagers. As teens they rush rapidly trying every possible way of going forwards. The cascade and rapids of teen years finally end and the children marry. Dad copies and pastes a wedding speech. Don’t know half these people. Ah well. Not my choice but she has to live with him. It’s her life.

They flow on. The reeds on the bank need our stream. The stream needs the reeds. Let’s celebrate a living loving community.

The family floats around a bend and some grandchildren arrive. The indispensable grandkids merge with the main stream. The grandparents spoil them rotten. Spoil them with love and affection. Give them back when they are naughty. Further downstream they meet fellow grandparents.

The stream becomes a river. A deep wide slow river. Full of life. The deep wide river feeds the plants and animals around it. The river needs the trees, shrubs, insects, birds and animals that wander by. The family waters their neighbours’ plants when they go on holiday. The grandkids play cricket with the next door neighbours. On the banks are people fishing. In the river rowing boats pull themselves along. A living breathing community.  

Bigger, slower, stronger and timeless river. Continually changing, moving, flowing and always remaining the same. Always a river flowing between two banks. Above the river bed. Full of life. Surrounded by native trees, shrubs, reeds, aquatic plants, fish, and insects.

The life of one of the grandparents ends. Leaving behind one unlucky person. The family flows on one grandparent, three children and countless grandchildren. The family flows on and on. Always changing. Always the same family. Always full of life.

Above the mountain the clouds, full of water, are coalescing.