If drivers drive…… do rivers rive?
Most know what a river is, but do you know the meaning of rive?
I had to look it up, but:
Rive- verb- to split or tear apart violently
It’s not the root word of river but a quirk of mine is to be on the lookout for words that might contain hidden meanings.
Upon learning this new word (rive), I cracked a smile as I imagined the irony in my thought process… See, I often look at a river as the combination of the rains or snows or else that life has not yet soaked up. Literally. all the little drips and drops that roll off the tip of the leaf or sandstone walls after the soil has already been saturated, they pool up and form a trickle. Trickle becomes stream; stream becomes creek…. You get the idea; Rivers are the combination, culmination and collaboration of every drop and every ditch that goes into them. Many waters coming together flowing toward their destination, this is what I know a River to be, BUT “what is it that Rivers DO?” I ask myself.
As that thought begins to let my mind wander into deep mystical awe and philosophical muttering, the river carries on down its path. It continues splitting the land with an ever-deepening cut; slowly, yet tirelessly, and un-ending, it Rives! Funny how you can feel like you’re so in tune with all that is happening until stepping on the other side; then suddenly, everything flips upside-down! Perspective really IS everything!
It’s cool how something so humble and ambiguous as the river can create and destroy with such violent ease and grace. Dualities like this baffle me, and it feels like the higher powers are giving me a wink like an old mentor. All I can do is smile back and continue steering my own vessel on the river of life.
So as the river rolls on, I look forward to some spring boating and continue whittling on the challenges of keeping a company afloat. Often friends ask how I’m feeling about this new endeavor and the best way I can come up with to describe it is much the same as the feeling I get before a high-water river trip: Nerves are tingling, senses are heightened and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up a bit as I Imagine the challenges to come. Then, the smile eases back onto my face as I look around and see the people I am surrounded by and notice the ways we have prepared. I feel Inspired, and I can feel adventure awaiting. It is that support that brings me peace and courage for what is to come and it lets me know that we’ve got this! We’ve got this because we’ve got each other and oh what fun it will be! With all this said, I’m excited about all the folks who will come together this summer for some fun on the river. Whether I see you between shuttles as you are stepping off your boat or in town at the grocery store… or we actually get to share some time out on the river, remember that we’re all in this together and I so look forward to seeing you!
Now, if you can, imagine yourself as a drop of water. Soak into the things you want to bring life to, and when you need it, rejoin the flow of life with all your friends on the river. You’ve got this!
-Will
