Transcript
[chorus] they say we’re not a river
estuary
strait
river
sound
canal
stream
brook
pond
lake
They say the East River is not a river at all. They say the East River is a strait.
estuary
strait
river
sound
canal
stream
brook
pond
lake
They say the Hudson River is not a river at all. They say the Hudson River is an estuary.
They say an estuary is the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream.
They say a river is a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another stream.
They say a strait is a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.
They say a stream is a small, narrow river.
It seems we can’t get our story straight. Rivers are large but do not stop being rivers when they get smaller. Rivers are flowing water and water is older than the earth. In water we find an invisible magnet that draws water to each other. It’s as simple as H2O. The H (hydrogen) is attracted to the O (oxygen) and other hydrogen. Water seeks water on a molecular level. This is why rivers flow. The gravity of seeking self. Their quest for unity bridges our oceans and lands, nourishing life, making it possible for an ecosystem of species to exist. Think about being drawn to rivers and beaches for fresh air, similar to the aroma of earth after the rain. The water in our bodies can sense the water outside our bodies and we feel that attraction.
We point to the river as if it is a singular thing, stagnant in one place – but a river is never the same thing twice. Where we stand and what we see, would not be possible without rivers. Call them streams, straits, or estuaries, but rivers are flowing sacred waters that assail boundaries. Our borders and flags carve up rivers into territories and functions. We name rivers after people who live less than a hundred years but what is a human year to a river? These mighty flowing bodies are forgiving, taking our names and abuse and keep giving and granting us reliable passage above, upon, and beneath. Let’s at least get the name right or have the intention to see what we have, what we share with the universe through these waters.
As we walk along the East River toward the New York Harbor, listen. There will be pauses just for you to listen. Feel the rivers within you speak to the rivers flowing past you. Notice the differences in speed from the middle to the outside. Let the aromas of the river transport you to where these waters have been and where they are going. While you take your steps and flow in one direction, remember that we are all, like rivers, extensions from other places and moving in multiple directions. We contain rivers that sustain us. You may not be familiar with speaking with rivers but if you are alive today, one of your ancestors did. They say the body remembers.
[chorus] they say we’re not a river
They say intention matters.
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