Circles
We people on earth are like little droplets hitting the surface of a great body of water. Plop we go, and immediately start sending out waves of sounds, motions, EMOTIONS, and, well, influences.
These influences emit from me to you, and from me to everyone else within my circle of influence. Your influences travel out until they touch me and everyone else within your circle of influence.
When we are touched by another’s circle of influence, we are forever changed. When we change, our circle changes.
When our circle changes, everyone whose circle we’re contacting changes also.
This is our life. Everything I experience changes me. I change everything that experiences me.
On the water’s surface, at least.
My circles of influence are what my pastor refers to as “lateral relationships,” the relationships among me and those with which I interact.
I like the fact that I have some influence.
I wonder what I’m doing with it. I wonder how many folks I’m hurting, or helping. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m doing anything at all.
Here are some “Circle” songs for your listening enjoyment.
Billy Preston, doing his oldie “Will It Go “Round in Circles”
Marshall Tucker Band (with some extra help) doing “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” (I really like this)
And Joe Satriani doing “Circles.” (gooood)
I like the idea of the raindrops in the water. It’s a strong analogy for the inter-connectivity of us all and our radiating circles.
The coolest part is what happens on the surface of the water. The water doesn’t move laterally… it merely allows the wave to pass through it while remaining in place. It kind of reminds me of being in the world but not of it.
It was a treat to read your post… I was all set for reading more about the chicken dance!!
bradley
May 28, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Thanks.
I shudda proofed one more time, tho. I was vacillating between “between” and “among” when I spoke of the lateral relationships… looks like I left the between language in with the among word…
Chicken Dance? lol — Sherambler took that and ran with it.
backstripe
May 29, 2009 at 7:53 am
Oh, I must have missed what you’re talking about… It looked great to me.
I was even thinking about it more last night. Think about the outer rings of our influence. We easily think about our immediate impact, but it’s the whole pond that Christ’s drops affect. The frequency of the wave slows down and undulates on and on. Isn’t that a perfect example for our collective social conscience?
Man… I guess it’s going to occupy my thoughts today, too.
bradley
May 29, 2009 at 8:55 am
It is kind of a cool analogy, hunh?
backstripe
May 29, 2009 at 1:11 pm
The average person influences 7 other people a day and I truly don’t think that we can measure the effect that we have on one another. Sometimes we don’t think much about it, but we should consider it more often than we do.
raginggenius
May 29, 2009 at 7:46 pm