As The River Flows

Have you ever floated down a river? Or at least sat next to one and observed the waves as they raced by? At first glance, it appears to be calm and unassuming. The gentle ripples flow by without a care in the world and it brings with it a sense of tranquility. The peace that can come from a rafting adventure is truly an amazing experience.
Some of my most treasured memories involve rafting trips down Alaskan rivers. Learning how to drift through the current and how to maneuver around the river bend is an empowering experience. Once you’ve figured out when to row and where to angle your raft to use the current to your advantage, the ride can be fairly relaxing.  
That is, until your raft hits a submerged rock and you’re unceremoniously dumped into the frigid roaring water.
And just like that, your view of the river shifts. If you don’t know how to swim, you might be in a bit of trouble. Or if you get caught in an undertow you might realize that you aren’t as skilled as you previously thought. It’s at that point that you’ll have some decisions to make. Maybe you’ll ride the waves for a bit until rescue comes, or you’ll hold onto a tree branch that’s within your reach. Either way, you’ll realize that the river isn’t what it appeared to be. It’s not gentle and it’s definitely not calm.
Of course, chances are that you’ll manage to get back on your raft. When you’re safely above the current it may seem as though the river is a restful place to be. But you’ll soon realize that the water is constantly changing. Perhaps you’ll have to maneuver around a malicious looking boulder, or you might have to change course to avoid an ominous waterfall. The whitewater rapids will force you to hold on tightly to your raft as you adjust to the change of pace.
You’ll eventually come to the determination that the river isn’t what it appears to be at first glance.
It might be difficult to notice that there are other people around you having their own rafting adventure. You’re so focused on your own challenges that you might fail to realize that a family member or friend is stuck in the sweepers. Or maybe you do notice their struggles, but you’re unable to help because you’ve got a boulder in front of you that needs your immediate attention.
So naturally, you’re only option is to shout instructions to your friends as they awkwardly try to paddle around the sweepers. Of course, they’ll ignore you. After all, you’re having difficulties of your own and their experience is drastically different than yours; even if you’re an expert at avoiding irksome sweepers.
After a moment of frustration, you’ll realize that your friends will have to learn how to navigate around the sweepers without your help. It’s more effective for them to figure it out on their own anyway since there will, undoubtedly, be plenty more sweepers in the miles ahead.
By the end of the journey down the river, you won’t be the same person you were when you first started. You’ll have experiences under your belt that may change your view of the world. Maybe you realized that some things in life aren’t as easy as they seem. You’ll also come to the conclusion that everyone has their own challenges and the outcome to their struggles may vary from yours.
Indubitably, mistakes will be made and valuable lessons learned.
With these experiences, you’ll find that you have changed fundamentally as a person. Just like a river,  you aren’t meant to remain exactly the same throughout your life. You are not the same person you were five years ago, maybe you’re not even the same person you were last week.
And that’s perfectly normal. How else are we supposed to improve ourselves if we don’t learn and grow everyday? But just as we learn and grow, it’s important to remember that the people around us are doing the same.
It’s hard to think about that sometimes, especially when we witness something we disagree with or overhear a distasteful conversation. Maybe they’re having a rough day and a small smile from you might brighten their mood. It’s also possible that their challenges have gotten the better of them and they aren’t ready to make the change that will help them rise above their demons. It will surely be difficult, but don’t give up on them just yet. After all, patience can be your lifelong friend if you nurture your relationship with it.
Just like an adventurous float down the river, don’t neglect to be prepared for the unexpected. Life has so many twists and turns that, if you’re not careful, you might miss something spectacular. As experiences come and go don’t resist the change that comes along with them. You were destined for better things and it would be a shame if you sold yourself short.
So keep paddling through the treacherous rapids ahead of you. They’re bound to change you for the better.