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Kayaking: A Metaphor for Life |
1. Getting into the Boat
After the two young guys drove us to our starting place, we had to climb down what appeared to be an area of run off leading into the river. They watched us without lending a hand. We had to prove we were tough enough to take their kayaks ten miles downriver. As we made our way down the embankment, over the rocks, and into the river I couldn't help wonder, "What have we gotten ourselves into?" and "Is this going to be ok?" How many times in life do we ask ourselves the same questions? Do you go for it anyway?
When we got down the embankment to the kayaks they'd carried down (how?!) one of the guys said, "That's probably the hardest part of your trip." "Thank goodness," I thought!
2. The Rocks
Shelly and I started to paddle. It was a beautiful summer day. The humidity was very low. We spotted our first heron and heard a most unusual bird call. The green leaves on the trees were vibrant against the deep blue of the sky. We were in heaven. Then we came to our first section of rocks. Some were flat and scraped the bottoms of the boat. Some were rather pointy and protruded through the surface. All were obstacles we had to paddle over or around. We had to stop chatting and focus. Thank goodness we had tied our bags into our boats as we nearly tipped from the force of the current pushing us against the rocks. At one point Shelly yelled, "This is like August and the beginning of the school year!"3. Getting Stuck
Shelly had a great metaphor. Paddling the Little Miami River was a little like our jobs and a lot like life. There were smooth patches and rocky patches, just like the school year. Just like life. As we tried to paddle through the rocks, Shelly got stuck between a couple of them. I tried to paddle back upstream to help her, but the current over the rocks was too strong, I kept losing ground. I was anxiously watching, glancing around for other boaters, for anyone on the banks, a house, anything. We were alone. How would I get help if she couldn't get free?While I was panicking Shelly pushed with her paddle, wiggled back and forth, and eventually became free and caught up with me. Shelly said she realized fighting the rocks was only getting her more stuck. When she let go and let the current do it's job, she eventually kept moving.
3. The Rapids
During our ten mile paddle we faced many such rocky areas. We seemed to take turns getting stuck. After we'd clear the most difficult rocky areas, we went through sections of white caps - rapids that felt a little like we were kayaking on a salt-less sea. We loved those. They were fun, filled us with relief at clearing the rocks. Jubilation! They reminded me of being a kid and riding in the car on a hilly road. Up and down, Wheeeee!4. The Doldrums
We entered one area where the current seemed to disappear. We didn't float down stream. We just sat. We actually had to paddle in order to move forward. That happens some days.
5. Be the Leaf
All of this reminded me of the first lesson I learned kayaking in 2011. I was kayaking and canoeing with my family. I was floating down the river in the kayak my nephew decided was too much work for him after all. I noticed a leaf floating alongside my kayak. It wasn't fighting the rapids, it wasn't going under, it wasn't struggling at all. It was just going with the flow. That leaf reminded me how much easier and happier life can be when we go with the flow. Thank goodness there are a lot of leaves and that Shelly likes to kayak with me. I need a lot of reminders.
