Musing

[written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park]

5C/41F, cloudy and calm here with a soft blue Chinook arch of open sky exposed, the lagoon water forms a clear still mirror this morning interrupted only by take-offs and landings of ducks and geese somewhat resembling an airport, all of them using the north/south runway this morning with webbed feet meeting that mirror like up-turned water skis

I am not a water baby; I don't swim, boat or do sports in the water . . . but some of my happiest times are very close to the water - sometimes walking a beach in Maui with waves crashing all about or just standing by a still lagoon across the street gives me cause to pause, cause to stop, to be still like that water

still waters run deep they say . . . today they are just still

still, standing still; standing still is an action, a choice, a decision – when I stand still for a while I often see far more than when I am in motion

no effort from me required; the world spins round at its steady speed while this water stands, motionless as the earth that surrounds it, perhaps message as much as reflection; reflection of my place, my mood, my needs, my morning, my day

sometimes movement and action are not called for; not for long but for a little while standing still is a good idea; in part it is about inaction, in part it is about patience - and so too, it is about reflection

standing a while by still water, watching it go nowhere at all, fit my pace this morning; the water seems in sync with my mood, my need for tranquil today following a busy couple of days and an all-nighter, I need some still calm time later . . the choppy water can come back tomorrow, my batteries

emails wait, messages are noted and six files stare at me, each begging action this morning – each one could be a little rapid, a little white water waiting to happen, but they sit still on my desk while dozens more are in the next room, idling too; by the end of the day they will all be calmly dispatched, filed, piled and ready to greet tomorrow; but for today we need the calm

smooth water is tranquil but smooth, smooth water is trouble free but smooth, smooth water is uneventful but smooth, smooth water is never going to move anything or anyone to action because it is smooth, smooth water meets its shore without a ripple or force or an erosion of anything . . it is simply status quo

roaring rapids scare me, but I think choppy water is the most stimulating; choppy water keeps wits sharp, keeps me wary of navigational obstacles, hazards and changing conditions, waves wave at me while keeping me alert to ever present dangers

already this morning my slower pace has solved two problems . . so if I wait till noon to move this mouse and keys maybe I’ll solve some more . . but slowly, very slowly

Newton described laws of physics that dealt with bodies at rest and bodies in motion, but I think Archimedes is my man today . . he did his best work in the bath and the sauna; water was involved but he was still

hey look, over here . . I'm still here, I'm here still

great things my happen today; not because I am still but because I can be

Mark Kolke
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