Stagnation of the Mind

“Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation…even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.” ~Leonardo da Vinci

​One summer, some family friends asked my brother to housesit for them while they traveled for a couple of months. My brother visited their home daily to water the plants and feed the cat, and I tagged along on one occasion to see their home. They lived in a beautiful house toward the rear of a charming development. In the middle of the association was a small, manmade lake. When I visited, it was a warm, sunny day. Children were swimming, tubing, fishing, and splashing in the water. The lake appeared clear, clean, and beautiful.

I grew up in a cul de sac near a pond. During my childhood, all the neighbor kids ran to the pond on hot summer days to catch turtles, frogs, and snakes. We always had a blast, and these days were among my favorite childhood memories. However, our family friends’ lake starkly contrasted with the pond I grew up near: dirty, mosquito-infested, and ridden with algae. No one dared swim in it. The closest we got to the water involved a canoe or waders hiked up to our chests.

The difference between these two bodies of water was a large fountain in the middle of the lake that always kept the water moving. In contrast, our pond was stagnant, creating an opening for bugs and algae to swoop in. This got me thinking. Are our lives not similar?

Our spirits don’t respond well to extended stagnancy. Like the water, idleness creates an opening for doubt and confusion to sneak in. Staying in a relationship that is toxic and no longer fruitful, remaining in a job you dislike that sucks a small part of your joy each day, scrolling endlessly through social media platforms as the world passes you by—all examples of the dangers of stagnancy. We need something to rock the waters of our lives so that we may continue to grow and change. This may look like picking up a new skill or hobby, regularly diving into Scripture, or surrounding ourselves with friends who keep us accountable. Benjamin Stone once said, “I can’t stand being stagnant. Every day is a new opportunity to achieve something, even on a small scale.”

To be clear, I’m not advocating for a life of constant activity. There’s a difference between intentional rest and extended stagnation. Rest is just as important to achieve clarity of mind as purposeful motion. 

At the manmade lake, the outcome of the water’s purposeful motion was a clean lake that became useful to others. It teaches us that moving forward is necessary for a healthy and fruitful life. Bruce Lee said it well: “Life is never stagnation. It is constant movement, un-rhythmic movement, as we as constant change. Things live by moving and gain strength as they go.”

---

Photocred: Unsplash