Flowing

Good Morning!

I hope you enjoyed the weekend and remembered to take time for rejuvenation. Sometimes self-care resembles taking care of things that we can’t get to during the week. Other times there’s incredible relief in simply spending time enjoying activities that bring us joy.

You’ve probably heard the term ‘going with the flow’ as a way of not making waves. I’d guess you’ve also heard phrases like ‘success means going against the flow.’ I find our language and its subtleties so interesting. It’s as though we can take a concept and make an argument for or against its meaning.

As I was preparing to write today, I was intrigued by the thought of how flowing can also be a release. For example, say we’ve tried everything we know to accomplish a task. Nothing seems to work, and we feel at our wit’s end. We pause to think and realize that we’ve exhausted all our ideas and creativity. We purpose to let go of our desired outcome for a moment to regroup.

It’s at that point that things start to come together. After that, we’re baffled because we don’t understand what changed. How did this situation mysteriously resolve itself without our direct actions? What did we do differently? Were we on the right track all the time and didn’t know it? Or did we miss it because of our need to control?

These thoughts from Epictetus, a Greek philosopher who lived during the time of Marcus Aurelius, has an interesting take on the concept of flowing:

When we read through this a couple of times, we may come to a new understanding of what it means and how to flow. I believe we humans tend to make things more complicated than they need to be at times. We strive and try to push against the current. Maybe we’re under the misguided impression that we’re the only ones who know how to get something accomplished. We may even believe that there won’t be a favorable outcome without our intervention. And, sometimes, we’re correct in those assumptions.

Another way is to embrace flowing. It sounds relatively passive, but I wonder if we thought about it, we’d find multiple examples of incidences when letting go was exactly the right thing to do. It was effortless, simplified the experience, and left us feeling filled instead of depleted.  

Margaret Atwood, a Canadian poet, shared these thoughts, which I find truly lovely:

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress.”

Ms. Atwood’s words lightened my spirit as I thought of how wonderfully cleansing and loving water makes me feel. I can breathe and relax, feeling restored whenever I’m near a body of water, particularly the ocean. There’s just something about the ever-present flow and movement. But, then, add the idea of the water caressing my hand – pure magic!

Scripture reminds us, too, of flowing in these ways:

“For the Lord, your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills;” Deuteronomy 8:7 (NKJV)

“For thus says the Lord: I will extend peace to her like a river and the glory of the nations like a flowing stream.” Isaiah 66:12a (MEV)

This week, let’s try letting go of control and of a prescribed outcome on something that’s been challenging. Instead, choose to adopt the mindset that we will experience what we need to and be guided by our higher power (for me, that would be the Holy Spirit) and allow the peace offered to cover us with encouragement. It’s a worthy exercise and will bless each of us with surprising results!

Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda