Going With The Flow

The hubby and I have always agreed and laughed about the fact that we are just middle of the road folks.  We don't have wild and amazing adventures but we don't sit in our chair and never venture out. We take very calculated risks, plan and research our life changes.  We aren't the smartest or the richest or the most beautiful but we aren't the dumbest, poorest or ugly.  You know, just somewhere in the middle of life's extremes, like the large majority of humans.

I would say that there are more reasonable waters to navigate, somewhere in between struggling upstream and laying on your back and floating downstream. 

Sometimes choices and sometimes change that is out of our control make very big diversions in the river of life.  Selling our house in our hometown, keeping our summer cabin 800 miles away and choosing to live in a travel trailer when we are home brought many changes.  One decision nearly always brings many, many more.  When a choice that you make doesn't exactly bring the perfect results that you were after or when an unexpected  event knocks you off your feet, that's when "going with the flow" is a good response. You can't panic, turn and fight wildly upstream against natural currents.  Maybe just kick your feet a bit and get your bearings, make a new plan as to where you're headed. 

Going with the flow doesn't mean that you have no control. We always have choices, some control of our direction. Even with bad things such as health issues, personal losses or disasters, we have control over how we are going to respond and deal with the situation.   Anyone who has ever had to deal with a painful personal loss will tell you that the most surprising and amazing thing is when the morning comes, the new day dawns and life, the world goes on....they felt certain that the world had stopped with their pain. 

The world does not stop, life rushes on.  Whether you're flailing against the flow or rolling along with it, you will not be allowed to stay in one place, you're going to move. It seems to me that if you do anchor yourself in one place, you will certainly eventually drown in boredom and a river of what ifs.  I choose to seek out that place of peace in between, keep myself off the rocks and away from the rapids.  Upstream is behind me, already washed away and I want to see what's around the bend. I just prefer to move ahead at my own speed.  If I need to sit on the shore for a while and think about it, I will but I know that sooner or later, I'll dive back in and ride the waves.