Home
>
Spirituality
>
The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned

The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned

Over the past few years I have watched the popularity of whitewater rafting grip the vacation market. "Strange", I thought. "Why would floating down a river become such a hotly contested vacation destination?" Today, I understand this phenomena completely. There is a wisdom and lesson that only the river can teach. It is a lesson that I intend to learn as often as possible.

Whitewater rafting has become one of America's favorite recreational activities for many reasons. There are several theories on this but I think the majority of them miss the mark. The fans argue that what makes the whitewater experience so compelling, so satisfying, and so incredibly exhilarating is that it is REAL! This primal adventure is beyond comparison. "This ain't your daddy's video game adventure!"

Although I consider this to be partially true. I believe that the reason that whitewater rafting has become so popular is because it teaches everyone who travels the river the most important spiritual lesson we could ever learn. All students understand the lesson while they are on the river but often forget it when they return to civilization.

On the river, all you have is the "now." That is the ultimate high and profound lesson that the river teaches. The past and the future are of no value when you are amidst the challenge of navigating the whitewater rapids. What happened upstream or what might happen downstream are of no consequence while you become completely absorbed in the joy of the present.

NOW. It is all that there is. The river drives this message home with tremendous clarity and excitement.

Stop and think of how different life would be for you if you could apply this simple wisdom to your life. I often sit incredulously when I realize how I have let past upsets disrupt my peace of mind. That can't happen on the river!

On the river the distinctions of past, present and future become amazingly clear. Very simply you recognize that the wake that is left behind does not navigate the raft. Likewise the future is uninteresting when compared to the exhiliaration of being totally 100% in the here and "now."

The metaphor is quite profound.

Over the years I have watched tourists navigate the rapids and it never ceases to amaze me! When you watch a group of vacationers all get "the NOW" message together, the exhiliaration is beyond comparison as they leave the past behind and partake in the challenge of the moment. The excitement and enthusiasm is contagious and a wonder to behold.

Likewise, I often wonder how these vacationers return to their lives and if they remember the message they learned on the river?

NOW.

Every time I feel the need to make excuses I remember the lessons that I have learned on the river.

NOW.

Guess where I am headed for my next vacation?

All aboard!

NOW.

Be careful what you agree with.

Harald Anderson is the co-founder of artinspires.com a leading online gallery of motivational posters."When Art Inspires, Dreams Become Realities. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. motivational posters

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned

Spirituality