In a fluid storm, temporary yet seeming permanent, the pounding wave finally washes over and a frantic breath of air is taken. Gee, that rip was scary! But it’s not the half of it! It is, however, a reminder in solemnity of the powers of the earth—the physical world. We respect it or we eventually succumb to it.
Only the fortunate few do both.
The forces and flows of energy dictate to such a large degree our way through life. We deny these to our peril, real or conceptual. We respect them and we’re called wise. Respect them and still be taken; legendary.
The physical world speaks first and foremostly of a Deity behind it all. Something, especially something this grand, cannot be created from nothing. But the Deity is most assuredly Constant—a reliable force manifest in the way things are i.e. the way they’ve always been, and probably always will be.
It all approaches wonder. This bunch of senses we have certainly attest to it, in awe.
In a U2-ism, this physical world—certainly the earth—is ‘even better than the real thing.’ We can barely contemplate it. And to our averring denial we use her and we abuse her. We think of ourselves; possibly our kids and grandkids—at most.
Something has changed in this constant world. It’s the advent of industry and an exponential mode of living that sees us outstrip and outdo each year. “Progress” soars. Change, as an effect, is an understatement.
Is it a time to stop and just exist? Yet, can we? Just do that, I mean. Can we stop the monster we ourselves have created? It is improbable. Legislation is being, and will be, tried. We think we can possibly destroy it. A dangerous thought that is.
The physical world, however, always has the final say.
The concept of nature and the time-attested laws, like those crashing, pounding waves, remind us that we don’t have the answers. The Deity does. Yet, this Deity gives us a role. It is for us to work it out in collusion with our comprehension of the physical world.
It is no less the key role of action. One beginning with personal action.
© 2009 S. J. Wickham.
Dedicated, in some part, to the memory of Steve Irwin.
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