Rafting Down the Stream of Time

Did you notice it? We often wish for more time in the day to get things done. Yesterday we got it! Sunday was 25 hours long. I don’t know about you, but the only part I noticed was the extra hour of sleep. Of course, to pay off this luxury, we will suffer a 23-hour Sunday in the Spring. That is, of course, unless we suddenly manage to retire Daylight Savings Time.

The stream of time keeps going on. It reminds me of my childhood when we would go river rafting. We would find a mountain stream in the Ozarks and launch our rafts at the headwaters. It would be early in the morning as the sun was just coming out. There would be dew on the leaves and the air would be cool and crisp. As we would float downstream we encountered areas that moved quickly. We would hit the churning water of the rapids with loud and heart pounding excitement. Frantic and vigorously we would paddle to steer clear of the approaching boulders, tree limbs and perilous drops.

There were times when the stream would slow to a crawl and the water would become like glass. We would hear the birds and wind gently whistling through the trees. It was like time and the stream just nearly stopped. We would still paddle to stay on course, navigate the river bends and slowly make progress. Occasionally we would just simply glide along, letting the energy of the stream carry us forward. Or we might steer the raft to the shore to rest, warm up in the sun, eat a snack or just relax. Those are some of my favorite memories. They were beautiful opportunities to soak in the views and drink in the sounds.

Life throws a lot of variety at us. There are twists and turns. There are times of rest. There are moments of chaos. Sometimes we face the rapids head on, quickly navigating and strongly reacting to the dramatically unfolding challenges before us. At other times we get to glide and enjoy the serene and beautiful moments. In all those moments, we have a choice. We can actively participate in the journey, paddling our best to navigate the adventure. And at other times, we can pull up our oars and enjoy the scenic serenity of living in the moment, frozen in time. Make sure you do both.

Enjoy the trip!