Last week I wrote about the bank holiday hike that reminded me of the importance of enjoying the journey rather than focusing on the destination. This week's post is also inspired by the hike, albeit viewed through a different lens. One of the prominent features of the hike was water – listening to the soothing sounds as it flowed through the creeks, making its way between boulders and rocks, and pooling in a big pond that housed a family of ducks. Even though it didn't get in the way – and we remained dry all through – water was all around us, so this week, I've been inspired to write about water and what we can learn from it.
The inspiration for this post also comes – in part – from the work of Raymond Tang, and a TED talk he gave a few years ago. The ideas in the talk are grounded in ancient Tao teachings, but I'd like to put a creative spin on them based on my experience and observations. Tang highlights three key things about water, and how it can inspire us to live more fulfilling lives.
The first is humility. Water is humble, in the sense that it adopts the lowest possible position in the landscape. Water flows downwards, and the biggest water bodies are found at the lowest levels. The reason lakes and rivers flow to the sea is that the sea is lower placed. This explains why we use sea level as a universal marker for point zero altitude.
The second is harmony. Water exists in harmony with all around it. Water is always flowing, making its way forward in its path, and moving around obstacles on the way. Water is everywhere, and gives life to everything, including us. Life as we know it just won't exist without it.
The third is openness. Water is open and transparent. It doesn't pretend to be what it's not, it has no hidden agenda, it just wants to flow onwards, giving life and home to everything in its path.
These characteristics were at the forefront of my mind as we made our way through the woods and hills, and I've not been able to stop thinking about them. For what it's worth, I think that's a good thing and I'm not complaining. If only I could live like this day to day, and adopt this mindset in my creative exploits. How much more at peace, I wonder, would I be if I always adopted a mindset of humility, harmony and openness?
It also inspired me to write a song about water, which I'd like to leave you with this week. I'm still developing it, finalising the melody and structure. Still, at the centre of my songwriting philosophy is the idea that the best songs are those whose lyrics can stand alone as poetry, so for now (until you get to hear it at a live gig or until I release a studio or home recording), consider it a poem…
1 Oh to be like water To run fast or slow To be forceful or gentle To go with the flow To create waves big and small To bring life to all 2 To reflect the moonlight And keep the dark at bay To beam the morning sunrise At the break of day To shine the light all around To amplify the good 3 To flow around obstacles Transparent and unwavering as can be Oh to be like water To live in peace and harmony