Fish swimming upstream…
A few weeks ago, I went on a backpacking trip with a friend and our daughters. As we were hiking up the hill, conversation unfolded as it tends to do, and we found ourselves lamenting the struggle between what we want for our kids and the impossible pull of a society that compels us towards more, faster, better, go, go, go. We both part-time homeschool our kids for the freedom it affords our families and the space it gives our kids to explore their world in less structured ways. We also have 10-year-old girls who are rapidly branching into preteen years where comparison and competition seem to blossom in the worst of ways. As their focus shifts to peer groups and how they fit into the world around them, I feel this tension growing for me. How do I help them to not go looking in all the empty spaces our culture likes to falsely advertise as meaningful?
As we neared the alpine lake, we began hiking next to a stream. When we looked down, there was a little fish swimming into the current, trying desperately to get upstream.
“Look Rae! It’s us!” said my friend.
It was both a hilarious and painful mirror of what we had just been discussing. We watched the fish swim into the current. Never stopping its motion, but not moving forward either. Then, with a sudden burst of energy the fish would kick into high gear, its body doubling in its undulating efforts into the stream and it would make forward progress. The second the fish slowed, the flow of the water rapidly pushed it backwards where the fish idled again. It would stay there, holding its position, not losing more ground, but certainly not gaining at all. This happened several times. And we laughed in recognition at the difficult process we were witnessing.
Suddenly, another fish came shooting past, swimming in the direction of the current. It energetically leapt over rocks, swooshed past branches and quickly disappeared down the stream. As fun as it looked to turn and swim with the current, I had to ask myself, what are we hurtling towards if we keep things the same?
And then, as we hiked on, we reached the top of the hill and there, in a little cluster, all swimming upstream together was a whole little village of fish.
“Look!” I cried. “A heroic community!”
It wasn’t salmon. But it made me think of them. It made me think of the monarchs too. And all the species that defy the odds, that swim against the current, that make heroic efforts so that they can come home.
I wish for that. I pray for that. May swimming upstream be my prayer for all humans to find their way home to the planet. To remember their belonging to this jewel. To know it’s not easy, but we are hardwired not just for connection to each other, but connection to all beings.
