Be a living fish

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

SalmonLeapingRapids1I shall be making use here of some of the lines from the lyrics, to some degree, translated, of a German evangelical free church children's song for the purpose of explaining how we all need to change in order to achieve a new society that is fairer and better for humanity and the Planet. No religion involved here.

Be a living fish
swim against the flow
rise up and be brave
victory will be yours

Fish that are alive are capable of swimming against the stream and will do so vigorously, and in case of the salmon, even jump weirs and other obstacles, to get upstream.

Only if we are living fish and brave to turn and swim against the tide can we bring about the change that is needed to create this new society and achieve the victory that we desire.

Only the dead fish swim with the flow
let themselves be carried by the others
they neither have the courage
nor the strength to be different
wanting to remain in the big crowd

Today there are many dead fish everywhere, it seems. Everywhere where we look no one is prepared, almost, to step out of line and swim against the stream, against the flow of the current. Yes, there are people who are eccentrics or who buck some of the trend, but very few are actually prepared to kick the system that enslaves us all and is about to destroy the very Earth we depend upon for life.

They do not have the courage and strength, even if they are aware of the fact that a change is needed, to turn and say enough is enough and I am going to stand up for what is right and am starting to make changes. They want to stay in the big crowd that offers safety, not being noticed, and thus not becoming a target for ridicule or worse.

Have the courage to be different
to most of the people around you
even if they decry you as crazy
ask only what must I do to be the change?

It requires courage, real courage, to be different and to either stand out from the crowd, stand against the crowd or to stand on your own apart, and that even if they decry you as crazy and they will, and even worse.

But, when the time comes also be wise and courageous to stand with those that, like you, have decided to swim against the current, to stand against the crowd, to work together for the new society and to give birth to it.

No one is going to do it for us. No god, no king or elected official. Only we, ourselves, together, “we ourselves” (sinn fein), can do it. Therefore, to do it we must swim, like living fish, against the tide and current and overcome weirs and rapids so as to reach the our goal, a society that honors and respects both man and Planet.

© 2014