By Pooja Marwah
If you throw a pebble into a still deep lake, it makes one big splash, and then, as it sinks to the bottom, the ripples begin to spread. The pebble thinks that it disrupted the serenity of the lake, failing to realise that its own weight is making it sink. It basks in counting the numerous ripples that are forming, but is unable to comprehend, that at some point near the shore, the ripples will end but what about it; the pebble? It will sink so low and so deep that it perhaps won’t ever be found. But at that time, as it begins its descent, the ripples on the lake are the only thing on its mind.
I don’t intend to sound portentous, but once the ripples hit the shore and settle down; the surface of the lake is still and calm again. And the pebble… in the deep dark water bed, finds itself scared, lonely, and quiet. Of course, there can be other pebbles, but nothing that one pebble can do will ever cause mayhem in the lake again.
It takes a moment… just one little moment for clarity to hit. And nothing remains the same. Not even the ripple.
I think the joy of the lake is in knowing that it is safe. That its own peace and tranquillity are the reason it can restore its calm surface. The pebble cannot do any damage from the place it is at, and the lake… It has life around as usual.
The branch of the tree still leans into it as the winds blow. The family of ducks with their ducklings paddle about. The tiny shrubs on the banks have little colourful buds in them, signalling a new life. The old couple by the lake still uses their Sunday afternoon to canoe. The toddlers from the farm still come and swim in their tubes…
Life carries on.
For people, it takes a while longer to let the realisation hit, that the splash could only be made once! People are people the world over. Some are the pebbles and others form the ripples. Either way, in the end, it is the lake that remains calm. Everyone has a story and the actual climax begins as the pebble hits rock bottom; in the safe sanctity of the very lake, it formed a splash in!!
It is futile to worry about the ripples for they will fade out as soon as they reach the shore. Of course, they will get bigger as they do, but eventually, they will die out. It is extremely difficult to keep sanity alive, almost suicidal, but patience does reward graciously.
Dignity is a virtue you are born with or raised with. When you know enough to destroy another being but choose to remain quiet, it is perhaps the greatest gift you can give yourself. Knowing the truth of the people around you and being able to accept their dramatics knowingly is being graceful. Understanding someone else’s dilemma in hurting you and letting yourself remain oblivious is respectability. A person’s true worth is seen in their ability to handle impertinence.
In the end, the lake is where and how it always was. What changed was the pebble that caused the splash!
(Pooja Poddar Marwah is an award winning author and Blogger. She writes on contemporary living and offers incisive reflections on the world around us. Her blog, Random Conversations is a go to guide to deal with the myriad struggles we face each day.)
