I recently heard the Genesis song “Ripples”. It’s from before my time, and the genre is quite unfamiliar to me, but I’m glad I stumbled across it. It’s a poignant song that likens life’s opportunities to ripples in a pool, in that once they’ve gone to the other side, they don’t come back.
The expectation of a long life can cloud the fact that one’s “prime of life” is relatively short. Childhood and adolescence last roughly twenty years, forming the first quarter of the average lifespan. The period considered to be the “prime of life” follows, and forms the second quarter. During this period a person’s strength, vitality, beauty, and personal freedom are at their peak, and opportunities abound. During the second half of a person’s life, the consequences and rewards of taking or passing on various opportunities unfold and play out.
This song describes the resignation that comes with the sudden realization that precious opportunities were missed. The message is clear: take opportunities when they come, don’t hold off, “ripples never come back”.
Cast Off 