The River of Dreams
We find ourselves pretty lucky to be steps away from Rio Claro, a river my friend Sonja aptly named "The River of Dreams". It's hard not to feel like you've been transported to another world when you're in Rio Claro. The vegetation is jurassic-park-giant and so vibrantly green. The orchestra of cicadas is overwhelmingly loud yet at the same time soothing. The rushing water, oh the rushing water, washes by you and through you seemingly saying "Oh hey there, care for me to wash away all that doesn't serve you?". YES. PLEASE. Wash it all away.
Craig and I have been making daily treks up the river. Especially when the sun is high and only Rio Claro can offer you reprieve. As we trek in full concentration so as to not misstep and roll an ankle on a loose rock, I enter a meditative state and become completely present in the moment. Every now and then I look up to get the destination in sight, then immediately bring my focus back to where I currently am and where I should go to next.
It occurred to me that trekking up a river is analogous to navigating through life. ( Ready for the philosophy bomb about to drop?! ) It isn't about fully pre-planning the path to the destination. It's about committing to set out and letting the process of the journey determine each next step. The path may become more circuitous than intended. The destination may change. But the journey of getting there ( wherever "there" turns out to be ) is where all the learning and living happens.
Most of us already know this about life. But all of us need constant reminding. I so easily get wrapped up in all sorts of unnecessarily consuming things. Which is one of the reasons why I'm grateful for this trip, for the generosity of others that made this trip possible, and for the wisdom of the river.
Forever grateful. Forever dreaming. Forever manifesting dreams. Go manifest yours.
