The Flood: Observations from an Outsider
First, give thanks to the River.
I know that is a hard place to start; which is one of the reasons I say these are the observations of An Outsider. I am a practitioner of Earth Based spirituality;and have a special relationship with two Ifa-informed archetypes of power: Obatala, symbol of knowing and of reason. “One Who Knows How To Keep Their Head, When All Around Are Losing Theirs”.
And Oshun, Goddess of the Rivers.
I have a regular practice of a 20 minute meditative walk most mornings. It takes me past what my neighbor described as “a waterfall” when I first moved here and she was orienting me. As I looked more closely at various aspects of my neighborhood in downtown Montpelier, I saw to my initial dismay that the waterfall was not natural. The waters were falling over a small man-made dam, created to power a wool mill. I said to my initial dismay, because the Voice of The River set me straight.
“Ah, sweet honey child, don’t you worry about ME; I can take this girdle off any time I feel like it!”
So, I begin by thanking the river, for being so gentle with us.
The flooding is a terrible thing to witness. Downtown Montpelier merchants, with their businesses completely drowned. Folks whose cars were submerged in parking lots. So much property damage.
Exactly right. So much property damage, and to date SO LITTLE DEATH. Drowned things; not drowned people.
As I share this on a Sunday afternoon, we mid-state Vermonters sit with hope and faith, and a modicum of rational fear, as we watch a bigger dam, upriver from Montpelier. It is an earthen dam– the Wrightsville Detention Dam built in the mid 1930s. It sits across the North Branch of the Winooski River. When the rains came, it rose 45 feet over a 24 hour time period last week from July 10th through the 11th. Which brought it to within one foot of the “open the spillways, don’t let the dam breach” moment that night.
So I say
Speak with whatever powers that you believe steer the course of our human adventures here; from Gods and Goddesses, to the ghosts of those Civil Corps of Engineers who built the dam:
Let our story be clear;
We like it here.
But we’ll stay aware
(We SWEAR)
Of the powers of the waters
And with care
Share
Our creativity and resourcefulness
Steer away from foolishness
Be BOLD
HOLD
Our river town truths with easy grace
These flood plains might not be the place
Our towns can stay.
ASHE!