Picture a lake on a cool calm summers evening, it's undisturbed surface as smooth as a mirror, a couple of beautifully painted dragonflies appear as if from nowhere, perilously close to the water's surface their playful and erratic flight paths tumble them out towards the centre of the lake, delicate yet precision made wings beat tirelessly causing small distortions in their otherwise crystal clear reflections.
An observer might easily be fooled into thinking that there were in fact four dragonflies partaking in this natural aerobatic flight display, he might also be fooled into believing that this tranquil yet magnificent scene in its colourful innocent glory might last forever.
Suddenly the mirror appears to shatter as a predatory fish explodes upwards and into the space previously occupied by natures two miraculous micro flying machines. A huge splash and a tiny transparent wing mark the centre of a multitude of expanding ring like ripples, each a perfect circle with an ever increasing radius, one by one as each are created these mini waves begin their hurried journeys to the banks of the lake with the promised reward of riding up onto the land for a brief moment before lazily sliding back again, drawn slowly to where they were formed and where a small broken part that'l never again effortlessly defying the laws of gravity carry a colourful creation in the cool summers air.
I've sat as an observer of this particular lake for quite some time now, the dragonflies are long gone and the ripples have all but subsided, peace and tranquillity has returned and a near perfect mirror has formed.
Life is much like the lake, periods of sustained calmness punctuated by intermittent moments of madness where ripples are formed, now one might argue that a perfect life would be one where these occasional disturbances did not occur, but a life devoid of ripples would be like denying the existence of the dragonflies, who's unpredictable playfulness gave purpose to living.
In our organised world we set our goals and plot paths leaving nothing to chance, (or so we delude ourselves) because we know that a life without structure would leave us vulnerable. The reality is that little of what we do influences 'chance' and the mere fact we breath is a risk in itself, we tumble through our short lives redefining the boundaries of our imaginary protective bubbles, setting common primary objectives we swim in the same direction like a shoal of dumb fish.
Few of us dare break free and swim alone, though those of us who do escape (even if only temporarily) can observe the shoal from our new vantage point, we view it swimming in perfect unison, so organised, no collisions, safety in numbers,
yet trapped as a whole by their fears and insecurities.
I've had a taste of what it's like to break free from the 'norm' the ripples which shook my world have only recently began to smooth out, a moment of madness in a very sane world.
I'm back in the shoal now, conforming to what direction is expected of me, yes it feels safe, anonymity in numbers, a well designed structure to guide & protect me.
Though content with this newly established normality, the trouble is...
Sometimes i find myself yearning for a small splash & ripple or just something to break the mirror...
Though mostly i dream of becoming a dragonfly. ;o)
Someone once said "dream like you'll live forever... live like you'll die today"
Thanks for reading ;o)
