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Continuing Revelation

Friday, June 3, 2016

The canoe trip of life - Lessons from the River

Put a fat unfit middle aged man in the middle of canoe give him a paddle and that creates the makings of some great stories. If nothing else a very interesting visual and the start to a billon jokes. But that's where the story starts. 

I purpose that life is like a canoe trip. It starts with the planning. The leader says let's go on a short trip. Everyone gets really excited. Summer is coming the water will be warm enough. It will show us how we need to improve. But most important...experience will be gained. 

So, the day of the event arrives. The boys are excited, the adults are excited. Leaders and experienced adults show up to take the inexperienced down life's river. So, we have a little instruction, take a few pictures and then it is time to get in the boats. Yes, canoes come in all sizes but we put the big guys in the skinny canoes just to get more of a laugh. 

The canoes are loaded and then are launched into the river. There is always going to be a learning curve especially when there is a fat guy in the boat learning to balance and paddle at the same time. With a experienced lake canoe driver...( driving a canoe on a lake is different than navigating a river.) So, both the guide and the fat guy are learning together. 

There are times when no matter what is done the canoe is going to drift every way but where the desired area is. During these times a little patience is required to get canoe to go where it is needed. And sometimes there is that sneaker current that catches the canoes  off guard and the balance that the fat guy had mastered falters and the canoe tips causing the unbalanced to jump off the boat. It is during these times that one should remember to just keep calm. The water is scary but manageable. All that is needed is a hand to make it to shore. At this point although cold and wet it is important to get back in the boat. Keep going down the river. 

Recognize, that when we loose our balance and end up out of the boat consequences are going to happen. We can make choices that will help us. However, we can not choose our consequences to  our actions. If we get out of the boat we are going to be wet. If we are not wearing safety gear tragedy is learking near. No, matter the consequence of our actions...we can always get back in the boat and start the process of getting dry and fixing broken equipment. 

Eventually, there will come a time when we come around the final bend and it's time to beach the vessel. There is a sense of accomplishment. A recognition that leaders are helpful. Even when sometimes we may not want them near. One recognizes that the river has had twists and turns, gone fast and slow. Overall, it allowed stories to be shared, friendships to be made, Experience to be had and the fat man to realize that there is more to life than what he has allowed inside his little bubble.