Rowing away — so tempting. To just disappear from it all and leave everything behind. But for all the rowing away from life, I would still be rowing towards something else.
I’ve heard from countless people over the last few years that it is time to “move on” with my life. That if only I did “this” or “that”, went “here” or “there” then I could move beyond the Great A, B and C. Unfortunately. my life isn’t necessarily that simple. I can move away from From all I want, I would still be moving towards to To that would be a problem. How does a person know that what comes from behind won’t follow?
Life doesn’t simply Move On. It trails behind the canoe with every stroke of the oar. It ripples in the water, first with the sudden rush of a paddle and then with gentle glides and reflective waves. It is left behind to collect dancing dust mites and catch birds or pine needles, but it’s there, behind.
And perhaps that is what moving on really is. It isn’t about leaving it to sink beneath the boat; it’s about not turning back to watch it drift behind me, lazily catching my wake. As I move away from it it seems smaller than it did when I was holding it in my hands. It falls behind growing smaller. In the distance it slows itself while I row towards something greater still. Or not.
Towards isn’t necessarily greater; it’s only different than Away. But Away is always better than Still There.
Published by ShadowTeamsNYC and represented by Lisa Hagen Books
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I think forward is the only direction. That doesn’t mean the past is erased, but there is only one way to go. We can’t stay in the same place, we can’t go backwards, we can only glide forward. And we never know where we will end up. That is the beauty, and the mystery, of life.
We all move forward, every day, together.
And that’s the miracle, isn’t it?
Are you speaking directly to me? Of course not but this post feels like it. I’ve missed it here. Happy to be back.
I’m happy you’re back, darling girl. Welcome.
Still is good, but not forever. Still there; no, that’s not good at all. Moving, yes, I like that, whether it’s towards or away; I like that. I’ll see you on the river, with your beautiful words.
I would be so very happy to see you on the river, Michael!
How ironic. I was about to write on this too. You beat me to it and far more eloquently. We go towards white shores, but we carry the load with grace, lovely.
I love this image of going towards white shores. With mist in our face, we will conquer those shores, my friend!