Two young fish were swimming along and an older and wiser fish came swimming the other direction.
“How’s the water?” he asked.
The two young fish swam on without answering. A while later, one turns to the other and says, “What’s water?”
—
The story illustrates that the deepest and most fundamental truths that are all around us take time and experience and wisdom to even be aware of.
We are born, and live, in a world supported by a myriad of hidden systems – the patriarchy, racism, classism, colonialism, capitalism – that surround and infuse everything we do. The most important realities are the hardest to see and talk about.
They may uplift and support us, or sweep us along in their current while we remain blissfully unaware of its presence. The world of men hums along in a pool of money and power and worship of self – because of which we then pursue achievement – a career, a family, wealth, recognition. These powerful currents which sweep us along.
The real things that matter though require self-sacrifice in a myriad of unsexy ways every day – friendship, love, compassion. They too exist all around us, and only time and wisdom allow us to discover their real value to us.
The benefit of higher education lies not in the content of that education, but in its ability to allow you to see and ask questions of discovery about the world around you. To view the world and constantly remember,
“This is water.”
