Go with the flow

The river of life is constantly flowing. Once you jump in, you are in until you die.

It's not always the prettiest or the most comforting trip and that's how I think it should be. Explain? I'll try.

If things are to easy, we loose focus on goals. Case in point, most of us are in the middle of the current economic downturn. When times are good and easy, we took for granted that it was always going to be that way. New cars, bigger houses, the newest toys and the Horn of Plenty was flowing with the fruits of our labors. Why fix the roof now? It's not even cloudy! Then the rain starts. The hole in the roof we neglected, because we were so drunk on our own success, is now pouring into our life. We don't like being wet and everything getting ruined. Those of us that realize that we were foolish in some regards; are trying to patch the hole now. The rain has caused damage and we want to minimize it. This is where the river gets rough, flowing swiftly and threatening to take us under. Scary and yet that is what life does. It will hold you accountable for everything it seems.

We survive it, our very nature is to survive. Some don't or even try to but that's for another day.

Is it always as bleak and bad as I describe? No, it's actually a fascinating and wonderful trip. We just tend to screw things up by trying to make something great, something it's not. It's not about things. Loose everything and you still have a reason to be amazed at the this thing called living. I like what the Apostle Paul said when he said he has learned to be content in all things. That's what I want to do. Is money important to me? Yes, I'm not stupid, I have to live and don't like to be hungry. A dirt floor isn't good for my back. But money is not THE thing.

A sunrise is free and gives a show that is awesome to see. A smile, a laugh and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a friend is priceless. The leaves are changing and add beauty to the change of seasons. My dog greeting me and giving me a hug. Just having a conversation and a glass of wine with a friend is sometimes soul cleansing. You get it yet? It's not the circumstances you are in that determine how the ride is, it's how you react to it. Things happen, we screw up, life goes on. Acknowledge it and leave it behind, start to move on down the river. Keep the lesson learned. You already paid for it.

Keep smiling. Hard I know, but if humans only did what was easy, there would not be footprints on the moon.

Enjoy the ride!!