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Ripples of Life

I like walking bridges that span small ponds. Why? Well, they're good places to think. One of my favorite things to do while standing on a bridge is to drop small stones into the water. I like to watch the ripples. OK, it may seem like I desperately need to get a life, but I find this simple act relaxing and insightful.

It seems to me that the immensity of human life is symbolized by the pond and our individual lives, by the small stones dropped. All stones when dropped in the pond, make ripples. All lives have influence. The choices we make ripple through the immensity of human life and generations are impacted.

Sometimes we're tempted to think that the way we live and the choices we make, are our business alone and matter to no one else. We may even feel that our lives don't count. Like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, we wish we were never born.

The simple pristine truth is that we are here for a reason and our lives do count. We have this great ability to determine the kind of ripples we'll make in life; to live now in such a way that future generations can benefit.

Consider the true story of two men and the ripples of their lives. Max Jukes was an atheist and married to a woman that was also an atheist. Their union produced 310 who died as paupers, 150 that were criminals, 7 that were murderers, 100 that were drunkards. Half of the women were prostitutes. Max Jukes' 540 descendants ended up costing the state a quarter of a million dollars.

Another man, Jonathan Edwards, a contemporary of Max Jukes, was a devout Christian man and he married a woman of faith. Their union produced 1,394 known descendants. Among that number were 13 college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials, 295 college graduates. There were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries as well. His descendants didn't cost the State a dime.

Yes, that we live is important; but how we live is even more important. While it may be true that I need to get out more, I do think I'm on to something here.

Ripples of Life I like walking bridges that span small ponds. Why? Well, they're good places to think. One of my favorite things to do while standing on a bridge is to drop small stones into the water. I like to watch the ripples. OK, it may seem like I desperately need to get a life, but I find this simple act relaxing and insightful. It seems to me that the immensity of human life is symbolized by the pond and our individual lives, by the small stones dropped. All stones when dropped in the pond, make ripples. All lives have influence. The choices we make ripple through the immensity of human life and generations are impacted. Sometimes we're tempted to think that the way we live and the choices we make, are our business alone and matter to no one else. We may even feel that our lives don't count. Like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, we wish we were never born. The simple pristine truth is that we are here for a reason and our lives do count. We have this great ability to determine the kind of ripples we'll make in life; to live now in such a way that future generations can benefit. Consider the true story of two men and the ripples of their lives. Max Jukes was an atheist and married to a woman that was also an atheist. Their union produced 310 who died as paupers, 150 that were criminals, 7 that were murderers, 100 that were drunkards. Half of the women were prostitutes. Max Jukes' 540 descendants ended up costing the state a quarter of a million dollars. Another man, Jonathan Edwards, a contemporary of Max Jukes, was a devout Christian man and he married a woman of faith. Their union produced 1,394 known descendants. Among that number were 13 college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials, 295 college graduates. There were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries as well. His descendants didn't cost the State a dime. Yes, that we live is important; but how we live is even more important. While it may be true that I need to get out more, I do think I'm on to something here.
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