“What we do now echoes in eternity.” – Marcus Aurelius
I previously wrote a post of thoughts on the topic “have ever had something happen that seemed like things cannot get worse”? My conclusion on that was that sometimes things can seem that way but can be learning experiences and opportunities for personal growth. This I still believe but I did some thinking on the title, “It’s a river” being a not at all original on my part comparison or analogy of a river and the flow of space time, but the little article I wrote only views it backwards.
So then what is “the river” then going forward, maybe impossible to answer except by perspective? And now I point out the quote above, “What we do now…” We can maybe know what has been, maybe, we cannot ever really know what will be. But “What we do now echoes in eternity” so our future is at least influenced by our choices moment to moment, add to that the choices of others and the broadest use of the word environment, seems logical to me. Some might say “Go with the flow” and true maybe, but not so simple as that, just letting go. You wouldn’t go canoeing down a river without a paddle, clearly a bad choice. The river analogy holds true in a forward direction or at least is logically functional with the viewpoint of you the person in a canoe and of course with a paddle, also the river changes as you go down river, that’s why you need that paddle. There will be changes in the speed of the flow, rocks jutting out, logs, forks in the rivers paths, maybe even an abrupt waterfall you wouldn’t want to be carried over, all things that can only be addressed or navigated with the paddle. What is the paddle? Choice, or the will. Somethings can be predictable, maybe at times that can even seem like a problem, “Same crap, different day” is a common expression. So some things can be predictable though, somethings good, somethings bad, and maybe good and bad are perspectives, but not always if being healthy, safe and happy are our priorities. In a previous post of mine I wrote about my experience with and recovery from cocaine addiction, that was a learning experience that I should have had the wisdom to have not needed, the predictable path of cocaine use should have been obvious, it was not for whatever reason when I came to that fork in the river, it is obvious to me now. Now if such a fork in the river were to appear, paddle the other way is obvious, of course many don’t need that specific learning experience to know that.
Wisdom then, “to know the difference.” Wisdom meaning as I understand it to know the right/best choice regardless of knowledge or lack of. Perspective aids that, maybe that’s all wisdom is, many perspectives to weigh against an unknown situation or person/group when choice is needed. And choice being our paddle as we flow along the river, adjusting where needed, where we are at now so that we are not just carried away at the mercy of the river, to move away from, to move towards.
Choice is hope, hope is choice.