Risk

Out in the greater world of socioeconomic policies and procedures there is what is known as disaster risk reduction. A concept or theory, that I can imagine was probably funded by the insurance companies, that revolves around essentially mitigating the effects of disaster. Build better structures to withstand earthquakes, early warning systems for tornadoes, dikes to keep the oceans out of our basements...and so on. A worthy cause I am sure as the effects of natural disaster can be, as we have witnessed too many times, catastrophic.

There are also those involved in this that think that too much protection isn't always a good thing. This may seem counter intuitive, why wouldn't you want to ensure as much protection as humanly possible to protect life and property after all. I tend to agree, as most would I think, but maybe you haven't heard of the paradox of flood control. Don't worry, I didn't until two minutes ago as I was bandying around Google looking for an one thing and coming across another.

As I understand it, while building channels, dikes, damns and flood-ways to help lessen the effects of flooding we also increase the chances of a catastrophic event because of those efforts. The unintended consequences of better preparing for regular high tides and annual frost melting is that we run the risk of doing more harm than one could imagine. Changing the nature of nature runs risks, on that we can all agree, so it stands to reason that if you build a damn to hold back water for whatever reason...when that water finally decides to go where it wants, well...make sure you have your rubber boots close by. In essence, the greater the protection the greater the chance for disaster. Interesting.

The same could be said of the precautions we all take to protect us from matters of the heart. Yeah...I tied disaster risk management to love. Deal with it. But I'm not wrong.

Those walls that we all have of varying degrees, help us but maybe they also hinder us. In an effort to not get clobbered by feelings, to not feel like the meat grinder of our lives are getting the better of us, we have constructed channels, dikes, damns and flood-ways to help lessen the effects of emotion, of love. Speaking strictly for myself, as everyone has their own way of dealing with all that life has to offer, I think flooding can be a good thing. Others think so as well, since we have seen a greater understanding of ecosystems and the advent of controlled forest fires and floods. There are benefits from the replenishment that comes from an event the same as there can be benefits to opening our hearts up to the possibility of disaster.

"And if I've built this fortress around your heart,

Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire,

Then let me build a bridge, for I cannot fill the chasm,

And let me set the battlements on fire."

Maybe, like Sting sings, we can't fill the whole void of what we have built or had built for us, but we can start with a bridge. So much possibility exists out in that great big world of ours that we can use all the bridges for our betterment and benefit. Break those chains, tear down those walls, let loose the flood, insert whatever metaphor you want here but do try, it's the journey that matters after all.

Remember your Tolkien

"Not all those who wander are lost"

Ciao
D

Photo courtesy of my friend Margo