The Rough and Calm Waters of Life

Over the summer I went whitewater rafting in Colorado. One of the things they explain in preparation is that if you end up in the water someone will yell, “Rope!” and throw it at your head so you have the best odds to catch it.

As we moved down the river, we came to an area that had a huge boulder near the center. The guides jokingly called this boulder “the ex-girlfriend” because it dumps so many people!

As we approached the boulder, we were not able to get to the left of it fast enough. The raft tipped and we all ended up in the very cold rushing water.

For a few moments it was terrifying, and then I got my bearings and started swimming. Thankfully there were other rafts and guides in the vicinity who lent us a hand and helped us get to the shore.

In reflecting on this experience, I am struck by how familiar the feeling of being rescued was. As I ponder the “rough waters” in my life, I cannot recall a time when there was not someone standing on the shore screaming, “Rope!” and throwing it at my head.

I know life contains both calm and rough waters that, when I dare to be present to the moment, I see with gratitude the goodness within each.

For a few brief seconds in the cold water I felt totally alone as I tried to catch my breath, but once I breathed, looked around, and heard, “Rope!,” I knew I would be all right.

The “ropes” come in all shapes and sizes:  hugs, prayers, someone who listens, a smile, advice, the touch of a hand, and simple unconditional presence of another.

When I choose to pause and pay attention, I can feel and see the people along the shore of my life and experience how interconnected our lives are.

The practice of mindfulness allows me to be open to receiving this gift as well as seeing when someone else needs a “rope.”

We all have moments when we feel alone and we need someone to yell, “Rope!” It is how life seems to go: floating along, moving with the current, sometimes fast and sometimes comfortably, navigating forward, backward, left, and right, taking in the beauty, joy, fun, and excitement, and then WHAM! Something flips us over and we need assistance getting back to the shore.

May we always have the courage to take hold of the rope and be present enough to throw it to someone else in need.