River Reflection

         Ain't nobody got time for that. When I first considered what I would do as a "river reflection" this is exactly what went through my head.  I felt like I didn't have time to go sit by a river and think about life. I have things to do. I have papers to write, chemistry to study and Lord knows I have quite a few hours of sleep to catch up on. However, when the temperature dropped a little I decided maybe it would be worth while actually taking a break.  Nice weather and running water really are the perfect combination. Throw in a bag of sunchips and a blanket on the grass and there really isn't anywhere I would rather be.  It turns out that was exactly the breath of fresh air that I've been needing. I had not even realized that I really haven't stopped to spend time outside since I've moved back to school in August.  Something about sitting next to a body of water is peaceful.  It is beautiful, fascinating, and calming.  For some reason, it is even thought provoking.

 As I sat by the river, I started thinking about all the people around. Some are doing exactly what I would love to do everyday-riding bikes, going on walks, fishing, or playing basketball. Still others are hurrying through their everyday lives, not stopping for a single second to appreciate the beauty around us. I look across at all the buildings and I think of all the people in suits, spending their life if an office cubicle, working on a computer screen all day everyday.  Sure some people are cut out for that lifestyle, and thank God for them, but I sure wouldn’t make it long. I hear the cars from every direction, rushing to wherever they may be headed.  Horns, sirens, screeching tires.  I wonder if they ever considered slowing down a bit. Airplanes fly across the sky every few minutes; where are they going? Are they happy to be leaving? What kinds of things are going through all these people's minds? All of these things are simply a part of our lives now, but it really makes me sad to realize that the world is in such a hurry. There's always somewhere else to go and something else that needs to be done, and people don't take the opportunity to sit quietly outside and just think. We wonder why depression rates are so high, but it makes sense when you realize the amount of time people cut out for peaceful rest is negligible compared to the big test in school or that project at work.

I'm not saying success isn't important. Of course it is. Not many people aspire to be that person who lives by the river and reflects on nature and doesn't know where their next meal will be. I WOULD love to be the kid across the river who caught a huge fish while I was there.  I would love to be the young woman coming for a nice long walk with her puppy.  I would love to take advantage of the beautiful resource we have five minutes from where I live. What I'm saying is that maybe personal time to stop and breathe is more important than the never-ending to do list sitting on my desk.  Will I have time to sit for an hour and a half and relax every single day?  I wish, but absolutely not.  That is not the point.  The point is realizing what is important and what isn’t and seeing that maybe there isn’t as much as a rush to get things done as we think.  

                                                                                 This picture from the top of a tree.  I take great risks for the sake of this blog.