WARNING: if you’re a science teacher, scientist, or general lover of the laws of motion, don’t read this. Because you’d fail me instantly.
We’ve reached the stage in our parenting efforts when I’m basically useless when it comes to helping any of our kids with any of their homework.
I mean, sure, there’s an exception here and there when reading a passage, answering a geography question or two, but generally speaking, they’re WAY better off asking Siri or the Google search bar (when they’re not Snapchatting answers to and from their friends).
Kids these days. It was soooo much harder to cheat in the 90’s.
For damn sure, anything that has to do with math and science, forget about it. I know about the same amount about cryptocurrency. Which is very little.
But I do think I remember a few fundamental scientific truths about movement, energy, and motion that Einstein or Plato or Newton or whoever wrote in our textbooks, when we lugged those around on our one shoulder Jansport bags with our Trapper Keeper while hoping our tight-rolled jeans didn’t come undone.
First. If you’re at rest, you’ll stay at rest. Unless you’re moving, then you’ll keep moving (kind of, except for the gravity thing).
Second. Momentum picks up based on the amount of force you use in the direction in which you shove or apply force to a thing.
Third. All force between two objects essentially push back against each other like some siblings in a standstill arm wrestling match. Until one wins, then I’m not sure if the third law still applies.
But anyway, I had to Google those. Because I didn’t remember the specifics.
But I do know what I learned.
And that is this.
Energy is flowing. All the time. Constantly. It’s not created or destroyed (was that also Newton who said that?). It just does what energy does. It’s a current that flows through whatever vessel is carrying it.
Bouncing around until it leaves, then fills, reverberates, gets stored, gets used, bounces back around, transfers to a coworker or a neighbor or a partner, comes back in some karma-induced way, gets recycled to a friend, leaves your fingers through an angry text or a condescending email, circles back through a cutting remark, gets harnessed a bit through some deep breathing, leaves in a healthy way in some deep work in a project, and around and around and around the energy flows.
It’s not really that picky. It doesn’t have a preference if you use it for growth and courage. Or if you let it run its course through fear and cynicism.
It just currents its way through and transfers to the fortunate (or sometimes poor) souls who are the receivers of it.
How’s your energy today?
How are you showing up?
Where is your energy headed?
I don’t ask myself those as often as I’d like, but when I do, they seem to help point Newton’s motions in more helpful directions.
Or whoever wrote that in that huge book I had to shove in my locker.
