When Two Rivers Meet

Greetings! About one week ago, I posed a question on my Facebook page. I could never have imagined the responses I got with what I thought was just a simple question. I just got the inspiration to post it, and I did, and responses came flooding in. (pun intended). On top of the wall postings I received, I also got a whole lot of private messages with requests to “Tell me the answer!”




If you missed the question it was: “When two rivers meet, which one do they become?”

To paraphrase Aristotle, The whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Like rain we come to this earth, this life, from the heavens. We fall from a higher place, from which we always yearn to return. We know that we will again when the time is right. There is a sense of purpose as we arrive. We have much to do.


Like the river, we journey this life winding, turning. At times, perhaps, we backtrack much the same as the river ebbs in places, until we are caught up in the current of life once more. We never know what lies around each bend, yet there exists a gentle but persistent force that draws us to the adventure.


At times life may seem fast moving and chaotic. The obstacles are many, but not so great that they can hold us for long. We struggle and fight as we strive for our destiny, refusing to give up. We make a lot of noise to announce our power. We somehow know on some level that this power goes further than mere appearances.


Soon the pace slows as our consciousness deepens, and everything becomes calm again. Experience is gained in the turbulent times. Reflection transpires afterwards creating a beauty to behold. We become a reflection of the universe which brings awe to those who come to know us.


The beauty we see in our course to somewhere is certainly infinite as we move into ever changing landscapes. We take it all in and feel at home in any setting. We join and are joined by others on this same journey. For awhile perhaps we hold our own, before we understand that we are the same.


We then allow ourselves to mix and mingle, until there is no longer any distinction between the two. We learn the power to be gained by unifying our life force. With this power we are capable of shaping our path. We can change the world we believe, and change it we have. We have moved mountains, and we have carved out the deepest canyons.


Eventually, our journey slows and we arrive to what must be the most enlightening experience of all. Here we do not simply join with one or two others. We become one with every other known and countless unknowns. We have arrived to infinity!


Upon arriving to this infinite ocean of life, our substance is transformed. We discover our truth, and it is a truth so powerful that it cannot be denied. We rise and fall in waves and tides. We travel where we please. Our effect is no longer local, but global in its nature. We have become the most potent force of nature.


Realize this force was with you all along. You are primarily water, more than anything else. What is water, but two elements? Oh, but those two elements are hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is the most fundamental of all. It is pure power. Think about what we can do with hydrogen. Then there is oxygen. Oxygen is absolutely vital for life.



Now for the answer to the question of two rivers:


From a purely physical standpoint, yes we would go with the river that has the greatest flow, usually. There are some cases where a new name is coined when two rivers come together. In any case, if you’re on my page, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea that the question could be taken to a whole other level.


If you followed the story closely you will see that every river comes from the very same source. Water. The water forms the river when it begins to flow. Every river has its own unique perspective of the world around it. This is much the same as any individual. Life is unique for every person.


This perspective changes throughout life. You may come across a river in a certain place and say this is a very fast and dangerous river, seeing the rapids. You might come across the very same river in a different place and think what a tranquil, serene, quiet, peaceful river this is. Perspective changes everything. A river may break off from itself and rejoin itself further down stream creating an island. Don’t we all do the same from time to time?


In the end, all rivers will return to the same source. After what may be an infinite number of detours, it all returns to being purely water as it rises to the skies once again. One could even go further into the obscurity by dwelling in thought of a plant drinking from the river. The hydrogen in this water may become part of a sugar molecule (C6H12O6), which then may be eaten by a cow and turned to protein. Eventually this protein is broken down and released to seep into the earth to an underground well. It may then appear in a spring to join a river once again.


The point I’m trying to make is you can answer the two rivers question how you like, but it is only perspective. You are giving a label to something that is only temporary. It is a convenience. This is like saying the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This is convenience, but not exactly true.


Of course there was a time when we (humanity) actually believed this to be true. When we discovered a different truth, our world was transformed. Transformation is exciting. It should not be feared. The whole basis of life is transformation. Keep an open mind about things and resist labeling. Remember, these things are only perspectives we use out of convenience and have little to do with the truth.


I want to thank everybody for their input. There were truly some amazing insights! I would like to offer a special thanks to Bart. Your answer was awesome!



H2 O




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