To share; to give

I remember how fascinated I was when I read about the Dead Sea for the first time. As you may probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a lake and not a sea at all.

Its so high in salt content that the human body can float easily in/on it. You can almost lie down on its waters and read a book! The salt content in the Dead Sea is as high as 35% - almost ten times the usual ocean water. And all that saltiness has made sure the non- existence of any life in the Dead Sea- no fish, no vegetation, no sea animals: nothing lives in the Dead Sea.

And hence the name, Dead Sea.

While the Dead Sea has remained etched in my memory, I don't seem to recall reading about the Sea of Galilee in my younger days. So when I heard about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea and the tale of the two seas... wait a minute... I was intrigued.
It turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea intake water from River Jordan. Yet they are very, very different.

Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life. There are lots of plants... lots of fish too. In fact, the sea of Galilee is home to over twenty different species of fishes.

Same region; same source of water : yet while one sea is vigorous with life, the other is dead- but why?

Here, apparently, is the reason. The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee in, then out - and that keeps the sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life.

But the Dead Sea is far below the mean sea level, that it has no outlet. The water flows in from the River Jordan but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over a million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea on any given day. Leaving it salty and too full of minerals- unfit for any marine life.

Let me repeat!
The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give out.
And the result?
No life springs forth.

Just think about it.
Life is not just about getting. Its also about giving. We all need to be like the Sea of Galilee.

We are fortunate in having wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don't learn to give, we would all end up like the Dead Sea. Love and respect, wealth and knowledge- all could evaporate, like the water in the Dead Sea.

If we maintain the dead sea mentality of merely taking in more everything... the result can be disastrous. Its a good idea to make sure that in the sea of your own life, you create outlets... not one but many. Give vent to love, respect and wealth along with your other intense feelings... its capable of cooling you down.
Make sure you don't just get, you give too.
And may you open the floodgates to happiness.

Enjoy your week-end,
Love,
Prof. Dr. Alex Abraham Odikandathil

Share; give.
Experience life.
Experience the magic!