Just Stop It!!!!

"It's a hell of a thing to stop a beating heart."

~ Unknown ~

Recently I went to see the movie, American Sniper.  Rarely have i been so enthralled by a movie and never have I been so heavy-hearted and silent as I left a theater.  In fact, the entire audience was left in sad, stunned silence.  

Before I go any further, I need to clarify that I honor the sacrifice of, not only Chris Kyle, but each and every service man or woman that goes to war to serve a country that so very rarely serves them in return.  Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper to ever serve in the armed forces, was asked to perform lethal acts that most of us would find unthinkable.  And although his heart was stopped at the hands of a murderer, he certainly paid a greater psychological price long before that.  Most soldiers do.

At the center of all this is my way of thinking about our belief system and how we are almost entirely influenced by where we're born and what we're taught.  Kyle and every soldier before him was taught we are fighting evil in the Middle East.  But guess what every soldier in the Middle East is taught.  Of course, they're taught they're fighting evil brought about by the selfish infidel.  But let us remember, every soldier from every country who ever died or served on a battle field was a son, daughter, father, mother, husband, or friend.  A beating heart is a beating heart.  Life is life.

EVERY soldier, be they Iraqi, American, Asian, or African are there to defend the country where they were born.  It is, and always has been, an "us vs. them" mentality.  I fear it will never be a "we."  And although I am blessed to have been born a free man in a free country, I could just have easily been born anywhere else in the world, in which case, my beliefs would be molded by my differing experience.

I've said all that to say this.  Just stop it, already.  The death toll from the attacks on 9/11 were over 3,000 souls.  Since that date, the death toll is approaching 15,000 american souls, countless "enemy" souls, and God knows how many civilians.  Tens if not hundreds of thousands.  Enough already.

Stop killing.  Stop the entire mentality.  Stop putting a BB Gun in the hands of your child at 8 years old (yeah, I had one at that age) and teaching them to kill small birds and animals.  Stop the hunting.  Stop the killing.  And for crying out loud, stop killing other humans.  It seems as though our entire mentality as humans is to kill or be killed.  It needn't be that way.  It needn't be a situation where someone has what we want and we have to kill them to get it.  And it shouldn't be that way for other countries either.  Didn't we learn sharing in Kindergarten?  Aren't we all members of the human race?

But wait, there's more.  Stop believing everything you read and everything you're told.  Stop hanging on every sound bite from Fox News or MSNBC, Facebook, and Twitter.  Seek the truth for yourself.  Stop being a Christian (or Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or whatever) simply because that's what your parents taught you.  And, good grief, at least read the book.  Don't defend your belief based on what someone told you it says.  It's simplistic.  It's lazy.  And yes, stepping outside the comfort of putting what you've always believed to the test of truth can be painful.  VERY painful.

And while I'm at it, stop relying on others, be they personal or bureaucratic, to provide for you what you so readily can provide for yourself.  Stop calling 911 when you can walk into a clinic.  Stop taking handouts when you can get a job.  Stop blaming history and others for your lot in life.  Sure, maybe that's easier for some than others.  But where you are in life is where you put yourself, period.

You get the idea.  It's just enough, already.  It's enough blaming, killing, looting, stealing, pointing, and believing in false notions.  You are a child of the Universe.  No more.  No Less.  You are capable of amazing things and are perfect just the way you are.  Move forward.  And for the love of all things holy....

Just Stop It!!!!

Mine! Mine! Mine!!

"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness."                              

~ Napoleon Hill ~

"Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race."

     ~ William E. Gladstone ~

I find myself becoming more and more ashamed of being part of the human race.  Sounds harsh, doesn't it?  Before I go much further, let me explain here and now, the finger is pointed as much at me as it is anyone else.  I'm guilty of the same selfishness.

Specifically, I'm enormously troubled by the "our country versus your country" mentality we seem to share here in these United States.  "Illegal" immigration is a topic you hear about every day around coffee tables, bars, dinner tables, and the local and global news.  What surprises me is, I never hear anyone in support of immigration.  Actually, I've heard a few say they're with it as long as it's "legal."

You know the arguments.  "They're taking our jobs!"  They're getting free health care!"  "I'm paying taxes to support these aliens!"  They're all the same cloaked under a different heading.  We really don't want to help.  

Well, let me ask you something.  When was the last time (and yes, I'm talking to you) any immigrant from any country, Mexico or otherwise, actually cost you a job?  When did it really ever cost you a red cent?  Are your taxes outrageous?  Of course they are.  But do you honestly think a few thousand migrants from another country really make a difference in your tax bill?  Be serious.  It isn't even a blip on the radar. 

And how many of you doing the complaining are getting some kind of assistance yourself?  More than a handful, I would guess.  And each of us reaps the benefits of government services of some kind each and every day.  I'm a fireman.  You want to complain about waste?  Talk to the people who abuse the 911 system every minute of every day, right here in the U.S.  Guess who pays for that.  You!!  

Look, I get that as Americans we have a certain attitude of thinking we're better than thou.  And if the field we're playing on is divided by imaginary lines drawn on some map; borders, if you will, then protecting what's "ours" and not sharing with those that need it makes sense.  Survival of the fittest, right?  Natural Selection and all that.  But unless you're ready to take Natural Selection all the way and let the human race suffer or succeed based on wealth and location, you better be ready to play to the end.  It's a tough game.

So, here's what I don't understand.  Thousands of children (not to mention the hundreds or thousands of adult migrants) are crossing our "borders" and need help.  You seriously don't want to offer it to them with open arms?  Shame on you.  These aren't Mexicans.  They're people.  They cry like you, smile like you, thirst like you, live like you.  They only want a way to make things better for their family.  And these children that have no one!!  You better take them in, clothe them, and love them.  Do THAT or don't you dare call yourself a Christian (which just happens to be the religion most Conservatives think our nation is based on.)  Don't you dare.  Jesus wouldn't have cared where they came from.  He'd have helped them.  No questions asked.  If the tables were turned, you'd swim every river, cross every border, and break every law to find a way to make things better for your family.  If you wouldn't, then shame on you again.

The concept of borders just fascinates me.  Why do humans feel such a need to separate themselves from each other?  Are we really that self-centered?  Without borders, without the need to protect our own while taking from others, (Oh, PLEASE don't tell me you think the good ole U.S. doesn't engage in that) there's no need for war, or hoarding, or selfishness.  It blows my mind to think that in the 21st century, killing people is still the way to resolution.  Every soldier ever killed from every country ever ENGAGED in war was young, had a family, children, parents, a home.  And they died for what?  For their country.  They died for an entity that uses young men and women as disposable items in a game meant to control the global economy.  It saddens me.  It makes me sick to my stomach.  And don't get me wrong.  I have the utmost respect for our brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for a concept they believed in.  That's the way the system is now.  But it's broken.

If you have a roof over your head, food to eat and 20 dollars in your pocket, I estimate you're wealthier than 80 percent of the world population.  80 percent.  I just bought a new truck.  I'd say that means I'm probably wealthier than 90 percent.  And yet, I haven't given a dime lately to a needy child in another part of the world.  Those kids aren't Africans or Asians.  They're children.  They're people for cryin' out loud!

I don't have the solution to this.  I don't.  But what I do know with all my soul is that fences aren't the answer.  Borders aren't the answer.  Wars aren't the answer.  In 2013, the U.S. spent somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 BILLION dollars enforcing immigration laws.  I wonder how many of them we could have just fed and housed with that money.  

Take down the fences.  Let them come.  Feed them.  Love them.  House them.  It's what Jesus would do.  And it's what we should do.  Because in the end, "each other" is all we're ever going to have.  And if someone comes along to save your behind, I'm guessing you won't care what border or fence they crossed to do it.

We're people.  Humans.  How about we start acting like it. 

    

ROLL TIDE

"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures."

                                              ~ William Shakespeare ~

The giant tree you see pictured above, now driftwood, lies partially nestled in sand and lava on the beach in La Push, Washington.  By the most conservative of estimates, this tree likely lived to be more than 500 years old.  500-1000 would not be out of the question in terms of age.  There's just no way to be sure.

To put that in perspective, this tree stood before the first Black slaves arrived in Spain.  It stood before Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa and Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  It lived before the Holy Roman Empire attacked Rome and before the Council of Trent defined Catholic Dogma.  It lived before Henry VIII executed his 2nd wife and even before the advent of the modern Gregorian Calendar.  It's been around a very long time.

Assuming it DID only stand 500 years, that says nothing of the possible decades, even centuries, it floated around the Pacific Ocean before being delivered by what was obviously an enormous wave.  It also takes nothing into account regarding how long the tree has actually been where I found it.  And when you consider its incredible mass, clearly many thousands of pounds, it doesn't take long to also consider the incredible power it took to deliver it on that beach...........water.

More specifically, it was clearly set upon the shore by a massive wave, probably a Tsunami, which is not uncommon for the area.  You should see all the tsunami warning signs!  A wave powerful enough to lift and deliver a tree weighing thousands of pounds did so with ease.

Now consider the picture of the wave above.  This image is one I captured on the coast of La Push and by most standards perhaps only crested at two to three feet high.  Still, it's an impressive display of power.  Now imagine hundreds of thousands of waves just like that one, hitting the shore each and every minute of every day for a millenium.....or longer.  Wave after wave after wave crashing, grinding, pounding, and molding the very shores of every land on earth.  It is, without a doubt, an impressive display of power and certainly one to ponder.

As I stood and watched wave after wave crash upon the shores of the Olympic Peninsula, I realized that, as powerful as these waves are, including the tsunami, there is a much more timely and powerful force at work.......the tide.  You see, no matter how many times or how hard a wave crashes, it is powerless against the tide.  Twice a day, EVERY day, the tide comes in and the tide goes out.  It happens without fail.  And regardless of the number, size, or power of the waves, how far they reach is determined by the tide.  They can growl, snarl, and pound all they wish.  The tide wins the battle every. single. time.

And of course, that made me think about life....and people.  We're like those waves, aren't we?  We crash and pound and beat ourselves against the shore in search of this thing or that thing, or peace, or enlightenment, only to find time and again that the universe has a tide....an ebb and flow.  No matter how hard we crash against it, the direction of the flow controls how far we reach.  Sure, we can fight it.  In fact, most of us often do.  Some of us ALWAYS do.  But the key to "happiness" or "peace" isn't in crashing harder.  The key is going with the flow.  (Sounds like a river trip I took once)  ;-)

So perhaps you'll consider the waves and the tide and think about whether you're pounding against the tide or with it.  I can assure you, with it is easier.  You may not like the idea of being delivered where you hadn't planned, but make no mistake, you'll be delivered where you're needed.  Whether or not you accept where you're delivered is the key to peace.  I'm almost sure of it.

Ride the tide.....it's going with or without you. 

You've Got To Believe It's Getting Better

"It seems like the chaos of this world is accelerating, but so is the beauty in the consciousness of more and more people"

~ Anthony Kiedis ~

"When I was a kid I drew like Michelangelo. It took me years to learn to draw like a kid."

~ Pablo Picasso ~

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways."

~ 1 Corinthians 13:11, International Standard Version ~

Take a good hard look at the quotes above.  The first two are inspiring for me.   The last one, well........for me that's exactly the problem these days.  We're resisting our ability to live in childlike wonder.  We all have an inner child that needs, not stuffed, but nurtured.  It's who we are at our very core.  Stick with me here.

The whole Chik-Fil-A-who's right or wrong-hate-love-chickengate thing over the last couple weeks has forced me to reexamine my entire belief system.  I think it did that for a lot of people.  I can tell you, without hesitation, my beliefs in the goodness of humanity, and the potential for an enlightened and peaceful future (someday) are firmly in tact.  Apparently cognitive dissonance works both ways.  I offered a challenge some time ago to a group of people who follow a particular doctrine, to present me with historical evidence of the validity of their deity's existence, using a source OTHER than their religious reference OR a source that doesn't use said reference as THEIR primary source, and I would rethink my position.  Not one met the challenge.  In fact, I don't think anyone tried.  But I digress.

In the midst of all this surface tension there lurks an undercurrent that I keep hearing over and over.  Like my little 138 number, I seem to be seeing it everywhere lately.  It takes on a couple different forms but goes something like this.  "What are we teaching our children?"  Or  "Our world/country/county/city/whatever is in so much trouble!"  Or still, "We need to get back to biblical values."   Add quotes to any string of words you like.  The bottom line is, there are those among us who believe our population is destined for destruction because we aren't following a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist/Whatever doctrine.  "God" is displeased and he's going to bring down the thunder.  I just can't seem to share that perspective and I'll tell you why.

Many people I talk to today think our children are soft, spoiled and unaware.  They're obviously talking to a different group of children than I.  Sure, kids today probably spend more time indoors playing Nintendo or watching TV.  And we've all assumed that's a bad thing.  Granted, it's a DIFFERENT thing than when I was a kid, but who's to say it's bad.  It's how things are.  It's where technology and evolution is leading us.  And here's where the naysayers are digging in.  I'm actually encouraged by the generation of kids we're raising.  It's MY generation that seems to be making a mess of things.

Almost without exception, the kids I have the pleasure of being around today are more globally and ecologically aware.  They get the connection.  They're beginning to realize that borders are ridiculous and survival of the species means a spirit of cooperation.  They're finally beginning to grasp the notion that war is ludicrous at ANY level.  (Yeah, we didn't even come CLOSE to getting that one.)  They ask tough questions and are no longer swallowing ancient lore of any kind without some type of evidence.  Largely gone are the days of "I believe this or that because my parents said so."  Kids want evidence now.  Blind faith is disappearing.  And.  THAT.  Is.  A.  Good.  Thing!!!!  There's an increased love of The Arts, and Science is emerging as a place to explore with that childlike wonder we talked about and not just some class that requires a grade.  And these kids are going to bear children that carry on that legacy.  These kids are getting it.

So you want to know how I know?  I know because the establishment that has kept us under the tyranny of dogma is crying out with a gnashing of teeth.  The thin vail of religion is being questioned.  And that may be nothing new, but the days of killing people for their questions are mostly gone and the curtain is being opened one generation at time.  And THAT, my friends, is called a "threat" to those that live behind that curtain.  I know.  I used to live there, too.  Can you begin to imagine the economic landslide that will take place when the curtain finally falls?  Religion is a multi-billion dollar industry.  Collapse the foundation and you may very well collapse the whole thing.  Many kids today understand that may be exactly what needs to happen.  Our kids may be "spoiled", but they certainly aren't arrogant or naive.  They see the fragility of our existence.

I guess all I'm trying to say is this.  Fear not.  Everything is happening exactly the way it's supposed to.  Whether you're Christian or Atheist, we can probably agree on that.  Every battle line that gets drawn is forcing people from both sides to step towards it, baby-step at a time, whether they realize it or even want to.  Eventually............and it may be many generations from now, an entire planet (or maybe even universe) of people will emerge that stand at the line shaking hands.  We can't be on opposite ends forever.  It just doesn't work that way.  And although it may seem like such a long time from now, man hasn't been around that long.  (Unless you believe that whole "the earth is only 10,000 years old" thing.  In which case, don't even get me started).  We'll figure it out.

Believe what you want to believe.  Whatever it is, it's vital to getting us where we need to be as a species.  We actually need opposing views to find SOLID ground.  Have faith.  Believe.  We're all basically good people.   And I think our children are the first in a long line that are getting it worked out.  I only wish I was going to be here to see it.  But in the meantime.........

Live in childlike wonder.  It's who you are.

Namaste        





Ramblin' On River Odyssey (Final)

"When you think about it, life is really just a river."

~ Matt Leatherwood ~

"Excuse me, sir," I gently inquired from the back of my loaded canoe.  "Is this Nebraska City?"

"It is," he said as he glared down at me from the boat dock as if some hippie had just shown up to invade his quaint little town.

"Is this the only place I can get off the river?" I pressed just a bit further.

"It's as good a place as any," was all the gruff little man trying to launch his flat bottom boat could muster.

"Yes, sir, this is a fine place," I smiled.  "But is it the ONLY place in Nebraska City to exit the river?"

He scratched his chin, now both clearly puzzled and annoyed.  He went on to say something about a bridge a little further down and some giant embankment next to the grain elevator, but I stopped listening.  It was evident.  The river odyssey was over.

I had just rounded the last bend before the site of civilization began to appear.  As the grain elevators, houses, and finally the park and boat ramp came in to focus, I was filled with a sense of accomplishment and sadness.  After many, many years of discussion, dreaming and planning, my trip was coming to a close a full half day sooner than I expected.  I pulled the cell phone from the waterproof case where it had been stored most of the trip and called my friend to see about being picked up.  He said he'd be there in a little over an hour.  He arrived on time, we loaded the gear on the jeep and headed to town for lunch.  After 4 days of fruit and MRE's, I was hungry.

We stood at the counter of a local fast food joint and ordered our food.  As they called out the total, I reached in to my pocket for the first time in 4 days to produce a debit card which I used to pay for lunch.  As I handed the young teen behind the counter my card, the full weight of the trip being over began to sink in.  Like a movie scene where I was being sucked down a worm hole, I became firmly, if not roughly planted directly back in to civilization.

Lest I begin to sound overly dramatic, let me be clear about this.  I get the fact that I'd only been on my own for 4 days.  I hadn't been stranded in the Tundra, foraging for food and melting snow for water.  I wasn't stranded on some deserted island ala Robinson Crusoe for years on end eating only coconuts and fish.  I had merely been basically alone on a canoe, truly not all that far from civilization, for a meager 4 days.  Anyone could do that standing on their head.  There was no inherent danger and I was on charted waters.  Yet, for 4 days, I completely removed myself, as much as possible, from people, traffic and noise.  I'd spoken less than a dozen words to another human being during that time (I DID talk to myself a bit and even asked Eliot a couple questions) and was entirely alone with the voice in my head.  Very few people take the time to listen to that voice, yet we all have one.

I've already told you all about the lessons the river refreshed for me.  Being back in a small town and then finally back in a city like Dallas, Texas was, at first, overwhelming.  Everything was bigger.  Noises were louder.  Traffic was heavier.  My patience was shorter.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  "Where's the gratitude, Matt?  You should be refreshed and alive after a trip like that."  I get that.  I really do.  And I'm grateful beyond measure for the opportunity to experience a childhood dream.  But what really hit home for me upon my return to Dallas (and I'm just being honest here) was the complete insignificance of all that surrounds me in the big city.  On top of that, I felt deep sadness for those that heard only their loud radio, breathed in dirty exhaust and drudged on day after day in a job they hate.

The virtues of labor and responsibility and all that aren't lost on me.  That's probably a discussion for another time.  What I know with absolute certainty after being alone on the river, is there is more than this.  There's more to see, more to appreciate and more to experience.  There are wondrous things out there.  Dear god, how I wish people would stop long enough to see those things.  There are miracles under foot everywhere you turn, but many you'll only find if you're quiet and still.  They don't come blaring a trumpet.

I had this very thought today.  Each and every one of us start at the same place.  And regardless of the paths we choose, jobs we take, mistakes we make or miracles we perform, we ALL end up in the same place too.  It kinda makes all the things in between much less worth worrying about.  "No one gets out alive," is the quip that belongs there I believe.

Life isn't like a river.  Life IS a river.  Every little stream, creek, and river are all flowing to the same place.  Somewhere along the way, they are ALL connected.  Just like people and the way they interact with each other.  Life is flowing and we're all flowing with it whether we're fighting or resting.  As we go, things and people come and go and there simply is...no....going....back.  If you're in a place of calm now, big waves are coming.  If you're in the middle of a giant wake now, calmer water is just ahead.  That's just how it works.  That's the river.  That's life.

Will you do this?  Will you make time soon to sit still and be quiet?  Will you take a trip you've always wanted, or see something you've always wanted to see?  Will you take up that hobby?  Or for the love of god, will you just give someone a hug?  Life is flowing, it's passing and there are going to be periods of calm and storm.  Just go with it.  Live it.  Enjoy it.  You and I started at the same place and we're finishing at the same place too.

Stop sweating the small stuff.  Life is a river.  Go with it. 

   

  

Ramblin' On River Odyssey (Part III)

“As we sail thru life, don't avoid rough waters, sail on because calm waters won't make a skillful sailor”

~ Unknown ~

"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead.  The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." 

 ~  Winston Churchill ~

In a recent training operation put on by my local Urban Search and Rescue Team, I learned the significant difference between "information" and "intelligence."  Information, of course, can come from a variety of sources and may or not be useable or even accurate.  Intelligence, on the other hand, is that bit of useful and accurate information found hidden in the mountains of information.  In this particular case, a well-meaning friend who informed me barges were no longer pushed up the Missouri River could be classified as information.  The fact that I actually MET a barge being pushed up the Missouri River would be classified as intelligence.  Unfortunately, that bit of intel was a bit late.

I was still on the final leg of my odyssey and had just waved so-long to my coyote friend.  Overcome with the joy of my trip and meloncholy of the impending end, I settled back in the Ramblin' On for an easy coast to my final destination; time, mileage and speed unknown.  I found a smooth, easy current along the west bank of the river and just let my mind wander.  The view was a little fuzzy at first.  In fact, I wasn't so sure I wasn't imagining things, much like one would after days in the desert.  But as the object grew closer, there was no doubt.  I was about to meet a barge.  Information decoded.  This was solid Intel.

I moved yet closer to the west bank, hoping to pass the tug pushing four large tankers on his port side.  As the vessel approached, it seemed the pilot had other ideas as he loomed closer and closer to the same bank while trying to negotiate a wide, sweeping turn of the river.  It became evident I would have to cross to the east bank or be swamped.  I stowed my camera in the water-proof case and, for one of the few times on my trip, paddled as if it meant something.  I dug in deep and came about for the opposite shore.  I made it in ample time to grab a picture of the vessel as it passed.  And then came the obvious realization:  I was about to come face-to-face with an enormous wake.  There was no avoiding it.

I understand enough about boating to know the best way to handle an onslaught of waves is head on.  In some instances, meeting them at a 45 degree angle is best, but I set the bow for a direct hit by the large waves and braced my feet inside the canoe.  And then they came.  Large, rolling clouds of water pitched the bow of the canoe up and then down, up and then down.  It was actually a nice change to the peaceful floating I had been doing and the initial attack of waves faded quickly.  But the wake on a large body of water like a lake or ocean is one thing.  The waves trapped inside the banks of a river are quite another and I momentarily overlooked that fact. 

As each round of waves passed, they ricocheted off the opposing bank and came back for another round, this time hitting me from behind.  At the same time, waves initially moving away from me, hit THAT bank and came back at a much different angle, eventually mingling with all the other waves and making a sort of hodgepodge of wavery.  It didn't matter which way you pointed the craft, the waves were coming from every direction.  It was only mildly frightening and soon things began to settle.  To my surprise, however, I was MILES downstream and past the barge before the waters returned to their usual calm.  It was in that vortex of waves and the ensuing choppiness of the water that I realized my third lesson.

Life comes with rough waters and they take time to settle.  I feel certain that each and every one of us have been floating along in calm seas only to be met face-to-face with a surprise occurence that left huge turbulence in it's wake.  And I'm betting that in most of those instances, we've chosen to meet the waves head on or be swamped.  That's generally what we do.  It's what we HAVE to do.  But the most important realization about my own recovery from a huge barge in the river of life was the behavior of the waves AFTER.

Anytime we're met with rough waters, the initial crash of waves is the most brutal.  Or at least we think so.  They pass momentarily and we think we've made it beyond the worst of it.  And then the second wave comes, followed by a third.  Soon the waves are all crashing around us and we realize that as difficult as the first hit was, there's plenty of confusing, rough, and perhaps more difficult water ahead.  We do our very best to keep our "canoe" pointed in the right direction and hold on for dear life.  After some time, the worst of it IS truly over, but it is miles and miles before our waters return to calm.  That's how we grieve.  That is the process of healing.

If there is one constant in this life, it's change.  If you're drifting in calm waters now, make no mistake.  Rough waters will come, perhaps even when you least expect it.  If you're fighting rough waters now, you can be sure the waters will calm once again.  Just don't be surprised if it's a bit further downstream than you expected.  That's just how life flows, remember?

Don't fear the unexpected or oversteer the boat.  Rough waters will come and when they do, simply do your best and know things will be calm soon.  Use this tidbit of information and convert it to useable intelligence when you need it most.  Because you will.  At one time or another we all will.  And no matter how rough the waters get, try to remember you're still on a boat coasting down river and you're still afloat.  Even at it's worst, that ain't so bad. 

Happy boating.    

  



Ramblin' On River Odyssey (Part II)

"In three words I can sum up everything I know about life.  It goes on."

~  Robert Frost ~

"The past cannot be changed, but the future is still within our reach."

~ AGHS Class of 1979 Motto ~

I, Eliot and the canoe inched along in total silence as we drifted aimlessly down the Missouri River.  There were no sandbars to navigate.  Nothing but open water and smooth sailing required that I occasionally only rudder the boat to maintain direction.  With my feet up and hands locked behind my head, I leaned back in total bliss, enjoying the moment as the morning sun danced off the ripples of the water.  And there he was.

In complete ignorance of the approaching foreigner, a young coyote came to the water's edge seeking food and water.  I came to full attention and tried ever so quietly to sit up, remove my camera from it's water-proof case, turn it on, adjust the settings and prepare for the shot.  After what seemed like minutes, but took only seconds, I turned to zoom in on this gorgeous creature.  But since the river was flowing at a blinding speed of just over 5 miles per hour, he was already a hundred yards behind me.  I did my best to twist in my seat for one last view of the coyote who was now standing on the bank in a puzzled stance, probably having never seen a long silver fish skimming the water.  In desparation I zoomed out to the limits of the lens and hoped for the best, grabbing one of three shots you see above.  And then it was gone.  The moment, the opportunity, the coyote, the experience....................vanished. 

I was on the final leg of my river odyssey before I became aware of two important additional life-lessons, free for the taking from the power of the Mighty Mo.   On day one, of course, I was schooled in the art of going with the flow of the river......of life.  Because of that vital lesson, I spent the next two days of the journey more relaxed, perhaps even more "in sync" with the river.  Sure, there were many more sandbars to navigate, rain and even a thunderstorm to escape, but I took them all in stride.  They were part of the experience and I had been reminded to quit fighting.  Some of my best memories of the trip are of being temporarily stuck on a sandbar and dragging the canoe to open water, or scrambling up the wooded bank of an island to seek cover from an approaching storm.  It was wonderful.

But on this day, my final day, as the coyote and his puzzled expression disappeared behind my relentless progress downstream, I was reminded of my next lesson.  While on this little odyssey, I had observed many wonderful things, animals and landmarks.  Some I stopped to explore.  Others received an idol glance as I floated by.  Yet every experience shared one very important characteristic.  They were behind me.....past......gone.  No matter how much I wanted to go back and relive each experience, it simply wasn't possible.  The river flows relentlessly downstream, remember?

It doesn't take a river trip to see where I'm heading with this.  It's life.  Directly behind my first lesson of life's flow, came the part I simply couldn't ignore.  As life flows, experiences pass.  And then they're gone.  The MEMORY of the experience remains (or at least it usually does), but you can't go back to relive it.  That's the beauty of living in the moment.  We hear about that a lot these days, don't we?  "I'm living in the moment."  Or, "I live each moment to the fullest."

But those are different aren't they.  EVERYONE lives in the moment.  It's not really a choice.  Each of us has only this moment in which to live.  Some of us just realize it more than others.  But I digress.  We were talking about the past.  You know, that thing that happened just seconds ago. 

Each and every one of us has "a past."  It's there alright.  It's there in the form of a memory, an experience, or maybe even a life lesson.  But that's all.  You can't go back there physically any more than I could paddle upstream against a strong current to linger a bit longer with my coyote friend.  And even if you could, it wouldn't be the same as when you left it.  Surely you've revisited your home town or old vacation spot thinking you'd be able to relive a past event only to find everything had changed.  Life flows.  Things move past us and then they're gone.

We have a choice, as so boldly pointed out in the quote by our loving Dr. Seuss.  "Don't be sad it's over.  Be happy that it happened."   And that's the truth.  We can spend our lives dwelling in old memories or struggling to relive them.  Or we can simply be happy they happened, add the experience to our inventory, and move on.  I can wish for more time or a better picture of my friend the coyote, or just be thankful I got to see him at all.  Because just like on that river, you can look back for a last glance, or even try paddling back, but life flows and just around the bend is your next experience, your past obstructed from view.

So let's be happy that it happened, shall we?  I know it's easier said than done and I have certainly failed miserably at being happy on more than one occasion.  But I keep moving forward, keep flowing and keep logging a new "past."   Be happy.

What's done is done.