The River Flows

The river flows
      Whether we notice or not.

The river flows
      Whether we swim within
      Or row in a boat
      Or rest on the bank.

The river flows
      Whether we lay back and float
      Or paddle furiously toward some destination.

The river offers us a flow.
We can dip into it to be present,
To have a quiet mind, to feel in the flow.

Like a swift current passing over rocks
To form eddies and rapids,
      Our minds may race, feeling high energy,
      Thoughts going everywhere,
      Or exploring all aspects of a single focus.

Our minds may get stuck,
      Feeling down and self critical,
      Or filled with grief,
Like debris that clogs the river
And stifles its flow.

Sitting on the edge of the river,
Basking in the sun and feeling a gentle breeze,
We can see that all is as it is
Or at least as it seems to be.

The river is there to dip or wade into.
It is there to carry us along effortlessly.
We can see it moving softly or rushing past,
      Or seeping through branches and dams.

We can see it changes over time.
We can see that it is ever beautiful.
It is always there.
Feeling our connection in the flow with others,
The river is ours to share.