Thursday, June 02, 2011

Dammed.

We came across this dam on the Missouri River. There's a spot where many people pull off the road to watch the place where the river comes venting through.
To me, it was a very obvious demonstration of what happens when you try to go against nature, or when one tries to go against one's nature. It will have its way. Independently, we were each thinking about the significance of what we saw. Driving away Elizabeth said she thought the dam was an example of people's ingenuity, how much thought and effort it takes to accomplish something like that, building a dam.

There is a certain power generated by opposites in balance.

4 comments:

Tom G. said...

All of recorded history is just a struggle of mankind vs. the force of nature. I came to this realization while getting my engineering degree. An entire profession dedicated to using natural materials in unnatural ways to hold back the forces of nature.


I remind myself of this every time I mow the lawn. I am just a suburban Sisyphus.

E.C. Hayward said...

You really nailed it Tom, at least, you are speaking my language. Then again, E's reaction to it made me think...

Anonymous said...

As you may remember I am and always have had an unexplainable terror of dams. I could barely make myself look at the video. Any thoughts.
Love, Mom

E.C. Hayward said...

Resisting the urge to post dam pictures to your Facebook page was almost as hard as holding back a river. It's my nature: I'm a bastard (figuratively, i hope, mom).