Analogy

    I have been thinking a lot lately, and have come up with an analogy.  Imagine a grand river, with all the joys and dangers inherent to water.  This river has waves, rocks, waterfalls, etc.  On this river there are sea faring vessels of various size.  There are zodiacs and rafts, speedboats and sailboats, yachts and houseboats.
   To start your journey on the river, you start small.  Build a raft, feel the current, and learn how it moves you through the water... and hope you can avoid the obstacles in your path.  Once you have mastered this (usually after several broken rafts), you can move on to a sailboat or speedboat.  You know how the water moves now, so you can use the power of the wind or a motor to move more quickly through the treacherous waters.  When you think you're ready to quit messing around and get serious, you get a yacht or houseboat, so that you can live your entire life on the water.


  This is my analogy for love.  The boat is symbolic of the relationship, built from shared experiences.  When (not if) things go wrong, you can let it sink, or you can work together to repair the damage.
   To begin with, you build a raft: a fragile craft that cannot handle any major blows, but is fluid and free.  This is the time when you are flirting or just beginning to date.  There is no real commitment, just the joy of the water.  When disaster strikes, the raft is easily rebuilt or abandoned.
   Next, you can build up your raft into a speed boat, the fast-paced lifestyle that so many new relationships seem to have.  Or you could go for a sailboat, a more solid, slow-paced vessel.  Either way it needs to be maintained, and it will depend on who you are as to which is more enjoyable.  You learn to navigate the waters in a way that is unique to the two of you, and the boat you've built together.
   Finally, you have the point of a real commitment.  You can build a yacht, to enjoy each other intimately by living your life entirely on the waters.  Eventually, you may be ready to expand to a houseboat, to accommodate for children.  These large craft, though they may seem to move more smoothly thorough the waters, are not without their dangers.  Hopefully by this point the two of you have learned how to repair damages, and recognize when your craft is resting too low on the water.


   At any stage within this analogy, disaster can strike.  Rocks could puncture your hull, you could fall over a waterfall, or even be struck by another vessel.  Even when nothing is going wrong, you need to learn to deal with the constant ebb and flow of the water.  Damage will happen, the only question is how you will respond.  With each upgrade, you've given more of yourself into the craft, so the cost of giving up is greater.


   The reason for this analogy is to describe how I have been feeling lately.  I see people with their rafts and houseboats, enjoying the water.  But the only reason I know what happens is by sitting on the dock, watching rafts shatter, sailboats capsize, and houseboats struggle to stay afloat... and seeing the undeniable joy on their faces.  I have no personal experience.  I barely know where to begin building a raft, much less a sailboat or yacht.  It seems like every time I try to start building, the current comes in and washes away what little I've built...  I have good friends who have given me advice, but it always seems to be for the sailboat or houseboat.  I don't feel like I've ever been (or can be?) shown how to make a raft.  Do I need to just try and fail until I get it right?


   At church today, Ryan spoke about the Holy Spirit.  He gave an analogy about a father, letting a child go while his mother beckons him to come to her, a big sister helping him on the way.   Regardless of how this metaphor was intended, it made me realize how deep my longing is to be a father.  Even if it means enduring rocks and waterfalls, I would love to have children someday, but I'm not sure how to start...


Peace,
-Josh


P.S.
Please do not over-analyze my analogy.  It isn't perfect, and I know that.  :-)