The river

It’s a glorious day. Not a cloud in the sky. I marvel at the beauty of God’s creation. It truly is magnificent. I am sitting by the river, listening to the birds, the geese and the ducks. They are chatty this afternoon. I love watching the ducks and geese take off and land. It’s fascinating. They know exactly what they are suppose to do, how to position their feet, their bodies and their wings, for a perfect take off and landing. They seem to have purpose in the direction they travel and at the same time, to us, look somewhat aimless. A scull comes into view. It seems directionless as the novice rower is trying to row and the scull is not cooperating. The ducks swim by effortlessly. A kayaker and a tandem canoe float by. They appear to be in sync with the river. The synchronization looks peaceful, easy, maybe worthwhile. It’s appealing, really. The river has a calling aspect to it; not surprising I suppose. A paddle boarder approaches to enter the river. He descends the river bank. Once in the water, he glides upstream gracefully. The geese honk. The breeze blows. It is quiet, peaceful and it is good.

There is abundant life under the shimmering surface of the river which I will never see. Life abundant; a complete ecosystem that perfectly interacts and thrives. I know nothing about its going ons, nothing. And yet I know it is there. My thoughts shift from what I see to what I feel. God, I know you are there in ways I cannot understand. You bring abundant life; I’ve only experienced a mere drop. There is so much I cannot see or comprehend for I am not privy to it. It is hard some days, for the waters are murky and I cannot see clearly. The scull passes by. The rower, more in sync with his boat and the river, after time spent together. A small motorboat breaks the silence. It shatters the quiet sounds of the river; the peace disturbed. The noise grows faint now, as the distance between us grows. I welcome back the quiet. It was missed. The geese swim by, only feet away from where I sit. There are seven of them.

Where were we Lord? Oh yes, the murky waters. I will never understand your ways God, for your ways are not my ways and your thoughts are not my thoughts. At times I feel directionless, aimless, yet I believe that some distance has been traveled. I wish to be in sync with you, Lord; to know without question what I am to do for you. To have synchronization with you, so it might look appealing. I will sit by the river’s edge and soak in all that you have to offer.