We journey a dynamic waterway. Often it is a furious rapid. Occasionally I drift into a calm inlet where I take pause and reflect. In these moments of pause, I sometimes climb ashore to a look out and gaze out over the river ahead, I spy the branches and hazards that lay ahead. The world ahead often at first appears hazy and fog enshrouded, but if I sit patiently upon the lookout, the sun will begin to burn away the mist and amazing clarity will unfold. I then can assess where I am and where I might go next when I jump back into my canoe.
Though thoughtful foresight is prudent, exciting, and helpful- it is hardly foolproof while riding life’s waterway. It is nice to enter a river with a plan, yet any white water guide will tell you- the reality of the rapids is always different than you expect- so one must stay vigilant, aware, and adaptable at all times.
The mistake most often made, is to endlessly ride the rapids, and never take pause ashore. Excuses abound that it is impossible to pause, yet oft our minds simply gloss over opportunities- when we but need to watch for them.
Ironically, I find the more disciplined I am about taking time to pause and reflect, the more glorious and exciting my journey becomes.
