Why Does The Fish Swim?

The fish swims through rivers, through lakes, and the mighty oceans of the world. It swims at varying depths, in different temperatures, at varying altitudes.

Does it swim to go somewhere in particular?

For the fish, is swimming a form of transport, or a form of play? If you were to ask him if his swimming was a form of play, he might not know how to respond. He might not know what ‘play’ means.

Why?

Because the word ‘play’ exists only because the word ‘work’ exists. If the word ‘work’ did not exist, ‘play’ would not either.

So the fish does not separate its life along the fault lines of work and play. It swims to sustain itself and it swims to swim. But there is no division between the two. It does not call attention to the various facets of its activities. It does not organize them according to priorities and categories.

It does not swim to get somewhere. For where can it go besides the water? It does not swim TO somewhere or FOR somewhere. It just swims.

Can human beings learn from this fish? Are we any different from it? Is ours truly a more sophisticated existence?

Who do you think is more joyful, a man or a fish?

Who do you think is more worry-free?

“So shall I just float through life?” you may ask.

What amount of peace has being horribly goal-oriented afforded you?

Perhaps we can find on this earth a particular sort of practice, or discipline, or art, or activity (I will not call it WORK), in which we feel content just to swim. A sort of activity that becomes our own personal ocean. A ocean in which we swim just to swim. An activity in which, though goals may be made, we have an inner feeling that they will take care of themselves.

Why will they take care of themselves?

Because nature submits to those whose sincerity flows uninterrupted.

Is there truly anywhere to get to? Is life truly a race to the finish? Or is it simply an aimless play? A wide expanse of ocean available for human beings to set forth in play.

Do you believe that the fish approaches his life in this way?

The next time you see one, why not ask it?