Canoeing is like life.

So my friends invite me canoeing. "C'mon!" They say, "It's fun!!! You'll Love it!!!"

Open to new experiences, I excitedly accept. "Of Course!!!" Thinking to myself, how hard could it possibly be?

[Not knowing this was a 13 mile trip down the river I quickly realized I was sorely unprepared.]
My canoeing partner and I attacked our task with a vengeance - Man vs. Nature - paddling like crazy, running into rocks, islands, tree stumps, at times sideways, at times backwards each convinced it was the others' fault. If only you could steer, if only you could paddle, and so on. Now about this time our canoeing buddies float by, Zen as the river itself without a care in the world, no exertion, smiles on their fat little faces.

Oh. So that's how this is supposed to go. It was then that I realized how much canoeing is like life. The harder I try sometimes, the more I clench my fists and grit my teeth, the more I seem to flap around and flounder, not getting any closer to my goal for the effort. Alternately, when I sit back and let the river take me, offering small corrections here and there - it's so much more enjoyable. My type-A buddies will understand this; we were groomed to take charge, rewarded for assertive behavior. Effort gleans rewards; put some elbow grease into it; nose to the grindstone and all that. Well, maybe there's a time and place for all of it. There is a time to take the reigns and lead. And there's also a time to sit back and go with the flow. Just let the River of Life take you on it's journey, and try to enjoy the ride. (Some folks are better than this than others).

6.5 hours later we skidded into the finish line with a relieved thud. I resisted the instinct the kiss the ground upon arrival. We were dirty, sunburned and tired but ultimately pleased with ourselves for finishing the task with some dignity intact.

As other folks boarded the bus back to the lodge, we realized how much worse things could have gone. With dripping hair and squishing shoes, one unfortunate girl with mascara running down her cheeks clutched a lone flip-flop rescued from a tipped canoe. Others already hung-over begged for air conditioning and aspirin. The day's events suddenly seemed comical... almost enjoyable as we both shared a knowing glance and heaved sighs of relief. Please don't misunderstand and think I would ever submit myself to such persecution voluntarily and kindly curb any impulse to invite me boating, camping, hiking, bouldering, trekking, or any form of white water rafting please - ever.
Thanks anyway though.
Yours in nature,
Heather