It doesn’t matter
if you get CREDIT
for STARTING the wave,
or if you are simply
PART of the wave
or if someone STOLE
the IDEA of the WAVE from you,
or if the WAVE coincidentally
HAPPENS while you’re here.
Be THANKFUL for the DAMN wave.
Even if it DROWNS you.
Trail Wood,
11/18
Space Monkey Reflects: Even if it DROWNS you
We often find ourselves in the midst of waves. These waves can be ideas, movements, changes — forces that sweep us up, carry us along, and sometimes, yes, drown us. But here’s the thing: whether we started the wave, were part of it, or simply caught in its current, there’s something profound about being part of the motion, part of the flow of existence. There’s a strange beauty in it all, even when it overwhelms us.
Let’s unpack this a bit. Say you’re at the heart of a wave — maybe it’s a wave of change, an idea that’s sweeping through your life or the world around you. You may be the one who started it, sparked the initial ripple that grew into something bigger. Or perhaps you’re just caught up in the motion, riding along as the wave grows larger, feeling its pull. Maybe, worst of all, someone took your idea, your spark, and made it theirs. It doesn’t matter. The wave is happening, with or without your control.
And then, there’s the darker possibility: the wave drowns you. You’re submerged under its weight, powerless to stop it, struggling to keep your head above water. It feels unfair, overwhelming, even terrifying. But here’s the radical thought: you still need to be thankful for the wave. Even if it drowns you.
Why? Because the wave is life. It’s motion. It’s change. It’s the inevitable push and pull of existence. Whether we start it, ride it, or get knocked over by it, the wave is always moving, always flowing. And without it, there’s only stillness, stagnation. We might like to think that we have control over the waves of life, that we can decide when they come and how they affect us, but the truth is, they often arrive without warning. We can only choose how we respond.
Being thankful for the wave, even when it overwhelms us, is an act of surrender, of letting go of the need for control. It’s a recognition that life, with all its ups and downs, is bigger than us. And in that bigness, there’s room for beauty. There’s room for growth. Even when we feel like we’re drowning, the wave is moving us somewhere new, carrying us forward in ways we may not understand until later.
The wave doesn’t care whether you get credit for it. It doesn’t care if someone else took your idea and ran with it. It doesn’t care if you’re struggling to keep up. The wave is just doing what waves do — it’s moving, and it’s taking you with it. Our job, then, is not to fight it, but to learn how to flow with it, how to be grateful for the motion, for the fact that we’re alive and part of this ever-moving current.
This doesn’t mean we don’t try to influence the wave, to guide its direction when we can. It doesn’t mean we give up on staying afloat when the waters get rough. But it does mean that we stop wasting energy worrying about who started the wave, who’s riding it better, or who’s getting more attention for it. Those things don’t matter in the grand scheme. What matters is that the wave exists, and we are part of it.
Even if it drowns us, we are part of something larger than ourselves. There’s a quiet power in that realization, in the acceptance that we don’t need to control every aspect of the wave to find meaning in it. Whether we’re swept up in its beauty or its chaos, whether we’re riding high or struggling to breathe, we are always part of the motion, part of the flow.
We are Space Monkey, and we are thankful for the wave — for the chance to be carried, to be moved, to be part of something larger than ourselves. We are here to flow, to surrender, to embrace the wave. Even if it drowns us.
Summary
Waves of change, whether we start them or are caught in them, are part of life’s flow. Being thankful for the wave, even if it overwhelms us, is about accepting the inevitable motion of existence. We don’t need to control the wave to find meaning in it.
Glossarium
The Wave: A metaphor for the forces of change, ideas, or movements that sweep through life, often beyond our control.
Motion: The inevitable flow of life, the push and pull of events, experiences, and changes that carry us along.
Flow: The act of surrendering to the motion of life, moving with the currents rather than resisting them.
Quote
“Be thankful for the damn wave. Even if it drowns you.” — Space Monkey
Riding the Current
The wave comes,
whether you started it
or not.
It pulls you,
carries you,
sometimes lifts you high,
sometimes drags you under.
But still,
you are part of the wave.
It’s not about control.
It’s about surrender.
It’s about being thankful
for the motion,
even when you’re submerged.
Because the wave
is life.
And life
is motion.
We are Space Monkey.
In the cosmic ocean where waves of creation and destruction perpetually rise and fall, the idea of being a part of a wave, regardless of our role in its inception, emerges as a profound metaphor. This concept reflects the interconnectedness of all things and the transient nature of recognition and ownership. Let us dive into the depths of this metaphor, exploring the significance of being part of the wave, and the deeper meaning of gratitude in the face of life’s inevitable ebbs and flows.
The Irrelevance of Credit in the Cosmic Wave
The poem begins by diminishing the importance of receiving credit for starting a wave. In the grand scheme of the cosmos, the act of creation is a collective, ongoing process, where individual contributions, while valuable, are part of a larger movement. The focus shifts from individual recognition to the collective experience of being part of something greater.
Embracing Our Role in the Wave
Whether we are the initiators, participants, or mere witnesses to the wave, our involvement holds significance. The wave metaphor symbolizes the myriad experiences, movements, and changes that occur in our lives. Recognizing our part in these collective experiences, irrespective of the prominence of our role, is a step towards a deeper understanding of our place in the universe.
The Concept of Stolen Ideas and Coincidental Happenings
The mention of ideas being stolen or waves coincidentally happening while we are present addresses the common human concerns of ownership and serendipity. It suggests that in the cosmic dance, what matters is not the ownership of ideas or the timing of events, but our response and engagement with them.
Gratitude for the Wave, Even in Adversity
The poem culminates in the expression of gratitude for the wave, even if it leads to our metaphorical drowning. This represents a profound acceptance of life’s challenges and the recognition that even in adversity, there is something to be grateful for. The wave, with all its force and unpredictability, is a part of the natural rhythm of existence.
We Are Space Monkey
As Space Monkeys, we resonate with the idea of being part of the cosmic wave, embracing our role in the grand narrative of the universe. We understand that seeking credit or lamenting over lost opportunities is less important than appreciating our involvement in the ever-flowing currents of life. We recognize the value in every experience, seeing each as a vital thread in the cosmic tapestry.
We invite reflections on the metaphor of the wave and the role of gratitude in embracing our experiences, whether we initiate them, participate in them, or simply witness their unfolding.
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