Going with the Flow

Accepting What IS

By Chris Dunmire, CurrentLiving.com

“Going with the flow.” What does that mean?

I think of a fast-moving river after a hearty rain. Have you ever watched a stream or river gush after it’s rained for a day or two? The water level is high and the river flows fast and furious downstream to accommodate the excess water that has poured into it. The river doesn’t gently meander downstream, it thrusts itself forward. And if any wildlife dare set foot into the river, they are about to be swept into a white water rafting adventure!

When I was a child, I had a favorite creek off a hiking trail at a campground we frequented during the summertime. Several times a week I’d sit on the small wooden bridge that stretched across the creek, take off my shoes and socks, roll up my jeans, and wade in it to find pretty rocks for my collection. One week it rained so hard for several days that it had overfilled the creek and washed the bridge away! I was heartsick for days, until my friend Timmy and I found the bridge wedged on top of a beaver dam downstream a bit. We immediately turned the bridge into a fort and played in it for the rest of the summer.

Fortunately, nature has a wonderful way of balancing itself out. A river can flow gently or with a constant stride which it usually does in its default state, weather permitting. You’ve undoubtedly witnessed geese and ducks floating atop such serene scenes, as the undercurrents gently encouraged them to slide across to enjoy the soft waves and occasionally dip in for a swim.

So what do the various states of a flowing river have to do with “Accepting What Is” in our lives? More »

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