The River and the Waterfall

Note: In the last few months I have lost several friends. It's a cluster that can't be ignored, at least by me. Several of these folk were only a few years older than me and two were within a year of my age and two of them I dated decades ago!

As many of you know, I tend to be fairly upbeat but given the state of our country and these losses, it's been hard to get focused, which is obvious if you look at the production schedule (for lack of a better term) of this blog. I haven't been all that productive.

In an email to a college friend of mine, Bonnie Casey, an accomplished musician and writer, I whined about this state of affairs. I closed the email with an apology for an email full of an "old guy whining." She replied with the very thoughtful note below. It created a wonderful perspective shift away from the pity party I'd been in which I had been indulging!

Bonnie's Reply
You know it's okay to whine at me! I'm in the same leaky boat as you. The bell just keeps tolling, doesn't it?

 I think of all of us as leaves that have fallen into a lovely river. Some get tangled in roots and vines along the bank before continuing their journey. Some seem to catch all the right currents. Some float lazily from side to side of the river, taking in all the beauty and peace. 

But there's a cliff up ahead and a giant waterfall waiting for all of the leaves. Some race ahead and get there before the others. Most get there at their appointed time. But all eventually fall over the edge into a new universe. 

It's scary and lonely watching our river mates tumble over the edge, but it doesn't disrupt the flow of the river. Soon enough we'll all find out what's at the bottom of the waterfall.