It's hard, isn't it, not to dwell on the subject of water at the moment. Water descending . . . water flooding . . . water pushing up through bore-holes. Water is everywhere. Not that the overall quantity has increased, this is the same water that's been circling our planet since time began.
It is ageless and timeless . . . the water currently resisting control on the Somerset Levels could well be the same water that defied Canute in the tenth century.
But, although there may not be more of it than there was, it does seem to be more active . . . far more active. And what the recent downpours have brought home to me is that it's not a 'water-versus-us' situation. On the contrary, what we need to accept is that 'water-is-us'.
We are water . . . water is an essential component in our lives. It isn't good or bad . . . it's vital. After all, the flood water that Noah was escaping was the same flood water that carried his ark to safety.
Bearing in mind that each one of is is ninety per cent water, it would be foolish to claim that we are in any way separate and distinct from those waters swirling down the country's waterways. What's more, just think about it for a moment and you'll see that we share many of water's qualities. We, too, can be refreshing, sustaining, revitalising and infiltrating. We can also be overwhelming, destructive, penetrating and damagingly persistent.
What's caused the recent upsurge in water activity? We can ascribe it to a shift in the Jet Stream, to rising sea levels caused by melting in the Arctic, and to climate change. But, if it doesn't sound too fanciful, could the climate in question be emotional as well as physical?
We may not be able to hold back the rain, shift the Jet Stream, or cool the warming oceans. But water is also strongly associated with emotion . . . you only need to look at our language to realise that.
Have you noticed how, when it comes to describing our emotions, water flows through the vocabulary? We speak of an upsurge of love, a flood of compassion, a stream of consciousness.
Our contemporary world is full of emotional turbulence . . . turbulence which spills out over national boundaries and drenches the media. Surely we should start turning our attention to the muddied pools of revolution and political discord? These are the waters which need to be purified and channelled . . . what's more, in this instance, the responsibility is ours.
We could also try to change the climate of opinion . . . just look at the tide of generosity and kindness that followed in the wake of the recent flooding. We can't hold the rain at bay, but when it comes to our own emotional water, surely the ball is in our court?
Talking of rain, did you know that the sign of Aquarius, the water-bearer, is dominant in the zodiac from January 20th to the 18th February?
Just thought I'd mention it!
Nor are we the only ones to be experiencing extreme weather, it's encircling the globe . . . from excess heat in Melbourne, to a drought in California, and unexpected snow in Alabama. We're in this together.
May I make a suggestion?
To help purify the waters and raise our spirits, how about clicking here . . . ?
