Ripples

Molly and her friend were sitting at the edge of the pool during the mandatory pool break time. The water was so still in this deep, smaller pool under the diving boards and climbing wall. “Look!” her friend pointed at the waves on the surface of the water. You could see the broad waves spanning the whole pool in a big half circle. I agreed, it was really cool!  We three sat there for a moment, mesmerized. I pointed out to her how amazing it was that it all started out with one little ripple caused by the dipping of her toe in the water. We watched as she dipped her toe in the water again and saw the waves build across the calm pool from it.

The announcement came on that pool break was over and the girls jumped back in the pool, splashing all the perfect circle waves apart. Who knows if they thought of the waves the dip of their toes made again, but I kept thinking about it the rest of the afternoon…

It really is astonishing how much can come from things so little, so seemingly miniscule. Even six year old girls can recognize it! How often this happens in life too–not just in gardens and pools. Small acts, casual decisions, “chance” encounters–change the course of people’s lives for generations. I know this isn’t a new concept, I am not the first to contemplate this wonder. I think it’s even got a name–the butterfly effect? But I teared up at the pool that afternoon when the most beautiful example of this phenomena came to my mind: the brief life of a very special two-year-old boy.

The young, happy little soul of our Drew dipped in the previously calm pool of our little lives and began ripples that have turned into waves spanning well beyond it. How amazing it is that God can use such small things, small people, to accomplish so much. How many lives Drew touched just by being himself in a hospital, and a world, full of despair and sorrow. How many people live differently and treat their kids differently after his death we will probably only know when we join him in Heaven.

It’s truly awe inspiring what can become of something, someone, so small. What God can do through our meager actions and lives. But, we have to be willing to make the first move. Dip our toes. Plant the seeds. Treat others with understanding and the love of the Lord instead of judgement and irritation. Choose joy when we could so easily choose hopelessness. And He is is faithful and builds amazing things for us to enjoy and care for from there.

It can be a struggle though to let it happen sometimes. To not want a bigger part. To not jump in as the girls that afternoon at the sound of the whistles, and tear apart the waves. It’s tempting to want to make a bigger splash for ourselves so-to-speak. But it’s not necessary. We only need to do what He asks us, and let His power take it from there. Do our part for Him to get the glory, not ourselves. Such a great reminder to all of us in this try-to-get-as-much-attention-as-possible world.

Maybe this sounds like a lot from a few moments sitting at the edge of the pool with Molly and her friend. But I have come to recognize this as how God speaks to me many times–through conversations with kids. They point something out, or Molly asks a question or says something that opens my eyes to a bigger Truth.  Jesus spoke so highly of children, and how we ought to all try and mimic their trust, faith and wonder for life. This is what that looks like in real life, in 21st century America, at least to me.

It was a fun summer. One that Molly and I grew so close during. We had a blast. And tried so many new things together!

We learned a lot–not just as we experienced new things together, but we also learned so much about each other. We had conversations, just like the one pool side, that I’d be willing to bet most mothers and six year olds don’t have. About Heaven and God, about life and death, about what’s fair and how we should respond to it. I can see the ripples Drew set off in our own lives and hearts continue to build in how sensitive and mature Molly is because of what we’ve been through.

She’s wise beyond her years, a girl that will set off her own waves I’m sure of it! And I can’t wait to see and be just as proud of her and of what she sets into motion as I am of her brother in this way.

And I begin this school year too, trying to get back into my groove. And with a renewed resolve to try and keep the balance of being willing to step back and let God build the waves, but also maintaining them and starting off my own as He guides. Not an easy task, but once again, I have a great example to follow in the effortless ways a cute little boy started so much by doing only what he was asked to with a smile on his face 😊