The gift of infinity droplets
Whenever it rains and I’m in the ocean, I feel closer to God. And I don’t really believe in one God. But the older I get and the more I experience of and in this world, the more I believe in a “Universe” – a unifying force that creates harmony and beauty and holds all of this world (and beyond). Let me explain.
This past Saturday we were surfing and it started to rain. I was observing the droplets and the following thoughts came to mind:
From sky to sea, water to water. Photo of Dinagat Island, Philippines (taken September 2017)
COMPLEXITY LEVEL 1: I couldn’t count all the droplets. There were an infinite amount hitting the water – too much for a simple human mind like mine to hold.
COMPLEXITY LEVEL 2: The droplets were hitting the water surface at different times, and the difference was barely noticeable – a fraction of a fraction of a second. An infinite difference in timing – too much for a simple human mind like mine to hold.
COMPLEXITY LEVEL 3: Upon each impact of the droplet against the surface of the ocean (most visible when the ocean is a clean, flat or rolling plane), multiple rings would be created as reverberations of the initial impact. The number of rings, and the speed of their creation, appeared to be the same for each droplet but I couldn’t be sure – it was too much for a simple human mind like mine to hold.
Now imagine all these multiple rings with their individual speeds created by water drops hitting the ocean at different fractional points in time… times infinity... so that water is enveloped in water, water becomes water, the infinite small amounts become the whole of one... god damn – Mind. Blown.
Quote by Duke Kahanamoku. Nib: Hunt 22; Paper: Mixed Media; Bleed Proof White on Watercolor
Who or what controls it? Who or what creates it? In moments such as this one, the Universe or God(s) is a peacock fanning its feathers, expressing, “BEHOLD BEAUTY. HARMONY.” If there is so much complexity in rain droplets, can we even fathom the complexity and divinity that is all living and non-living beings on this earth (and beyond)? I know I can’t. But I am filled with gratitude and awe. Because I am only one surfer that happens to in the water at that moment in time, amongst friends, and I’m just happy I can appreciate the moment. It will, after all, never happen again. I feel blessed, and this feeling turns into a glow of positive energy and wonder that I want to share. I commented to one of the surf uncles about the infinity droplets and he asked if I was on something ;) I was high on life! Nature! Harmony!
It was such a wonderful reminder to receive the gifts. It was a big one. But there are little ones all the time. This morning, there were a couple of non-regular aggressive surfers at our home break. One of them almost ran me over when going for a wave – he could’ve positioned himself slightly differently and still have made the drop – and I got upset and felt the negative energy affecting my own normally positive energy in the water. So we paddled over to the adjacent break, which is a great right (I almost always go left), and I took two rights and realized with joy that I had no idea what I was doing, and it felt so good to be in a new place (on the wave, on the board). Those two rights were little gifts, though they were a result of some negative stuff just minutes before. I don’t know that guy – don’t know his story, his complexity. I can’t control his actions, but I can control how I respond to them. That’s all my simple human mind can do – respond by seeing the gift(s), instead of letting negativity wash over me. And then appreciate.
Thank you, Universe (or God), for all the gifts!