If a bench were dedicated to me, I would like it to be along the bank of a river. Rivers symbolize so much more than just flowing water. Being able to sit peacefully along the banks of a river is a very spiritual experience. The flowing of the river represents the passing of time and the users of "my" bench would be able to reflect upon the passing of their own time and whether or not they need to flow in a different direction or continue swimming straight. In rivers, as Leonardo da Vinci said, “the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes.” Life is right now; the past is over and the future will come.Many people tend to follow the crowd but those who trail blaze are the ones who produce change in the world. This philosophy is very similar to the way fish reproduce. They must go against the current to find remote areas that aren’t “mainstream” in order to deposit their eggs. When people find these untapped territories of thought and life, they are able to deposit their discoveries into the world. To capture the essence of these thoughts, I would choose this passage from a poem written by James Dillet Freeman to be inscribed on my bench:
Rivers hardly ever run in a straight line.
Rivers are willing to take ten thousand meanders
and enjoy every one
and grow from every one.
As the users of the bench come here to rest, these lines will hopefully flow through their minds and inspire them to be “willing” to “hardly ever run in a straight line.” The simplicity of rivers can teach man so many lessons when they are truly understood. When rivers are faced with obstacles, they do not try to run over them. Rivers are willing to go around them, taking the long route, in order to always continue their journey. Rivers never rush things and are always willing to shape accordingly because no matter what, no river ever fails to reach its destination.
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