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Just Passin’ Through…But?
By John W. Vander Velden
I remember back in the 70’s that there were bumper
stickers with the words Just passin’ through. I believe it was meant to
imply that someone was just moving down the road. There was no need to notice
them for they paid little heed to the locals that came in went in their travels
while bound for somewhere else.
They were just passing through…no more no less.
There are those that believe that sentiment can be
applied to a wider perspective. That they pass through the masses and accept
nothing from most encounters and prefer to leave nothing behind.
But is that realistic? How can you or I slide
unnoticed in any major part of our lives?
The thought led me to thinking. Years ago our family
had a small boat. The 14-foot-long Aluma-Craft, which we purchased used was not
particularly fast, especially later when we put a 6 HP motor on its stern. All
the same it was fun to take it to the lake and cruise about on a hot summer
day.
However, there were times when we needed to go through
public channels. Those narrows would be marked as idle zones or no
wake zones. For the waves a boat could make passing through those
narrows might damage portions of the channel or things tied at the sides
of it.
But here’s the thing, even our small boat, moving at
an idle, creates a small wake. Cutting through the water at any speed makes
waves that move out and away. Of course, slow boats create small harmless
waves, which was the point of the signs to begin with.
But any boat in motion causes the water to rise and
fall behind it.
Just as a boat cannot move without altering the water
around it, we cannot slip through the sea of humanity completely unnoticed.
Certainly, there are those people that make bigger
waves than others. And it is easy to doubt our own significance. We are, after
all, just ordinary people, yet we leave a mark. The important thing to consider
is the kind of mark we leave behind on those around us. Few wish to
leave a negative impression, yet there are those that seem more than
content to do so. We do not enjoy being near those that spew their anger, rant
at life’s unfairness, or scream at or about others.
Their wake damages the world’s channel we share.
Just as there are those that seem emit darkness to the
world around them, there are others that fill the space they find themselves in
with positivity. People gravitate to these amazing individuals, and the light
that comes from them.
Most of us are somewhere in between, going about
living day to day, sliding through the sea of people, yet our wake touches many
more than we imagine.
Therefore, it is up to us to decide what kind of mark
we leave…be it the dark turbulence of a thunderstorm or the brightness of a
summer’s sky, for we do have the ability to choose.
And it is an important choice. How we act and react to
those around us, effect not only them, but us as well. Though it is impossible
for us to be positive all the time, yet we need not fall into the pit of
indignation, and the darkness that benefits no one.
As you pass through each day…may your wake include
understanding, patience, and compassion, for to do so makes our world better.
For you see…no one is just passin’
through. No one.
(591 Words) 9-20-2024
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