“In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes; so with present time.” – Leonard Da Vinci
Water is a powerful form of nature. It makes up most of the earth, our body, and every living thing depends on it. Without it, we perish.
Leonardo Da Vinci, once famously called “Master of Water”, understood its significance.
He would experiment with water to understand how it works under different applications.
Da Vinci used his studies to influence his life and the way he thought. Water represented the present.
When you put your hand through the stream of a river, you’re feeling something that is fleeting, quickly introduced, and disappears right away.
As I think about water I can’t help but visualize a glass full of it. We know the metaphor of a glass half empty or half full. But we stop there.
Imagine your glass as overflowing.
You’re full and so blessed, so grateful, that you can’t control it anymore.
It runs over the rim.
It soaks the white table cloth and rolls down the lining of your wooden table.
The water follows the carvings of the legs and finishes with heavy drips that clash on the tile floor.
It touches everything in its way.
When we live a life of abundance, we live a full life and we impact the people around us.
Beware.
An overflow does not solely pertain to money.
I believe that our finances are the lowest form of blessing we can experience in our lives; much needed, yes; it makes a difference, yes; but it is not the greatest.
Peace in your home.
Love in your relationships.
Time spent with what and who you value most.
A life of joy.
All these things belong on top of the list.
Overflow is a mindset. We treat it with our empathy and love for others, our finances and resources, and our attitude towards adding value to people.
Can we stretch ourselves too thin? Absolutely, but that’s not a life of overflow.
We take care of ourselves first. We renew our minds and energy each day, investing in things, habits, and people that bring life into us. When we do this daily, it adds up. It multiplies. And it exceeds your capacity.
That’s when you give it away.
Without fear, because you know more is to come.
How can we live a life in the overflow?
- Be generous with your time, attention, and money
- See people for their potential and love them
- Replace criticism and negativity with building others up and adding value
- Actively find ways to make a difference
- See life through positive lenses
How will you impact others today?
This essay is part oThis essay is part of the series, Vivere: On Living a Full and Balanced Life.
Originally published on March 3rd, 2021
