It wasn’t a planned thing to start writing on the theme of water on a repeat basis, but it is striking how much it has featured in my life since those pictures of water globules sitting like marbles on the leaves of plants on my windowsill last month. There have been devastating floods in two towns here in Ireland, with homes and businesses underwater in a matter of minutes. There’s been absolutely no need to water the few plants we have remaining as Summer has long since ended, the days get shorter and the gap between rainy days is pretty rare. (We may get frost in the next couple of days, in which case water will take another dangerous and uncomfortable form.) There is so little we as human beings can do to control water – it seems to me that at times when we’ve tried, we’ve paid the price in unexpected ways elsewhere, for example when rivers burst their banks, through coastal erosion or when drought and floods occur.
I read some thought-provoking pieces on what is being done in various places, but the most interesting to me was a TedxBoston talk by Kongjian Yu (Sponge City and Sponge Planet), who had nearly drowned in a flood as a boy, so is now devoting his career and knowledge to creating “sponge cities” that work in harmony with water and Nature, rather than trying to control it in the traditional ways such as canals, dams and so on (see links below). The point that really struck me was his understanding that we have tried too much to move water in straight lines, which is not what happens in Nature – rivers are winding and alternate between torrents and trickles, waterfalls and sleepy lagoons...and this is the way they are supposed to be! Water doesn’t generally travel in straight lines, but has to twist and turn around rocks, hills and other obstacles; this slows down its progress so there are less likely to be floods – which in turn enables it to soak into the earth and water the plants. And this in turn reduces the amount and speed of water running downstream so lower areas won’t get overwhelmed.
If the water has nowhere to be absorbed, it’s naturally going to come up onto the roads, pavements and eventually into homes and shops.
I don’t consider the need for slowness often enough in my life (I’m sure at least some people reading this will be able to relate!). The twists and turns, moments when things need to slow down and “soak in” often feel like inconveniences and irritating delays that are sent to get in my way. I know I don’t slow down often enough. I know I want a clear, straight path and to see the way ahead too often in life. Maybe, just maybe, I can learn from water; in particular how to work with the flow rather than trying to always control and rush things.
Does this speak to anyone else? Please do share your thoughts! And speaking of slowing down, as winter is approaching, it is time for us to leave the growing for the moment – the butternut squash plants, while still producing a fair number of fruit, have slowed down too much to grow them to anything larger than my thumb. We’ve learned a lot, but will not be selling squash soup this year – and that’s OK!
Till next time, let’s keep learning…
Awesome. And it's pouring with rain as I read this. Great thoughts TC