Rising Tides of Remorse

Why are we awash in turmoil?

by Rick Stecker

(This post first appeared on Substack as “Rising Tides of Remorse” – Subscribe here)

Across the bay, warning ripples appear on the water. They agitate the surface and churn across the waves. A rogue current has invaded our waters, moving steadily toward shore.

Quickly we become awash in a melee of murky undertows muddying the pristine flow that has long shaped our harbored environment.

Did we think we could escape the influx of this invading species? Once again, we look hopefully to the sea for a solution that will cleanse us of this infiltrating pestilence.

Yet a reply does not seem forthcoming, for we have languished too long in tolerating the incursion. The settling out of this sediment will take some time.

But the sea has responded to our request, sending a new tide of transformation, though its arrival is hard to distinguish. It seems to come with less prominence than in the past, but it does come with power.

This mild rise of waters, swirling slowly, succeeds in lifting the infestation to the surface exposing it to the light of day. And under the light it appears to weaken and wither.

The cleansing current has caused the purging of the invasion. Steadily our waters return to their accustomed clarity, the sullied sediments fade away. But it has come at a cost.

We now know, with remorse, that we can no longer return to the ways we knew. The invasion has left its mark, a scar on our shores, reminding us we are still susceptible. We must remain vigilant.

Neither will the sea forget. It remains poised to return to our shores, knowing the infestation could reoccur at a moment’s notice. We have not been left alone.