9/4 A Surge of Bravery

“When was a time you felt the burden of fear but you allowed courage to take over? How did that surge of bravery make you feel?”

I gotta go with white water rafting/my paddle board on this one. She is a Hala Hoss and has taught be a whole lot about being boss! When I approach a rapid, I’m not able to stop. Perhaps that is the main difference in this sport versus all the other adrenaline rushing ones I have tried. See, you can pause on the top of a ski run, or hop off your bike and walk when it is gnarly. On the river, the water has complete control. She takes you closer to the rushing wave trains, over rocks and through canyons. There is room—time and space—to be nervous and to absorb the burden of fear, but, ultimately, courage has to take over. I’m a big nerd, so I like to sing a lot to myself on the river. Psyching myself up for a big rapid takes a lot of singing. A lot of “I CAN DO THISSSSSSS” and “I GOT THISSSSSS!” comes in different tones. And when I get tossed off (because I do fall), I get better and better at getting back on.

Isn’t it crazy how we never want to topple over, but we must to learn how to survive the fall?

Nothing can prepare you for a rapid except running the rapid. Sure, I could throw my board on a raft and hop into a boat when it gets dangerously big for me to paddle, and that is always a nice back up. Yet, the work comes with charging myself up with ample encouragement —In COURAGE, I meant ;)

Thank you, paddle board, for showing me lots of internal power. The rush of energy matches the flow of the water, and my soul becomes absorbed in the very present moment. There is no time to worry about my future or regret my past when I’m on the river, and for that, I am so grateful.