The Pond of Life

By John

I used to go to the lakes to watch or feed the ducks. And this day I did not realise that the swans had three signets. They were around the corner. There was one goose in the lake and it was miles away from the swans but this swan turned and started heading towards this goose. In its expression as in its body motion through the water and its wing and neck. You could see the swans intentions towards this goose. And even the way it was thrusting through the water. And it chased the goose out of the water. I then realized and saw the signets I knew why and what it was doing. You see when you look at other animals and the like you see their actions and sometimes it may not seem nice but there is good reason for their preservation that this is the way of things. Unlike mankind who is so called advanced for his own good. It is not enough that one would kill his brother for food is that he would kill for his possessions too. WHY? There is a word WANT. That he has you want is enough. While watching the swans chasing the geese (of which I did feel sorry for the geese) something funny happened. The swans were together and this little female duck went straight through the middle of the swans. And the swans didn’t react. Yes obviously the swans don’t see them as a fret to themselves or their young . And I thought that in this hierarchy there a duck might seem lowly. It is better to be a duck than be a goose. It was funny watching this little duck moving without a care in the world doing something that a goose at least twice its size could not. And for a while a goose would try and get in the water each time again the swans would chase them out. While the ducks do as they have always done. I suppose the moral of this story for me is in life it is better to be a duck in the pond of life. As beautiful and majestic as a swan is and powerful. The constant showing of you being on top of this hierarchy expelling this energy. Or the geese and this confrontation. And finally the duck. Doing what you do to fulfill what you are with less confrontation with others. That is the way to be. So if you see them spare a thought they are not lowly. They are not simple ducks they understand what life really is without education as we would know. And are they not better off for it? IN THE POND OF LIFE.

To see some artwork by John click here.
To read some poems by John click here.