Monday, April 3, 2017

Be like the River ... #atozchallenge letter B

My theme for the 2017 AtoZ Challenge is "Daily Thoughts".

Each day I will post a thought that comes to mind. The first word of the thought will correspond with the letter of the day.

So here is my thought for the letter B

Hutt River, Wellington

Be like the river
Go with the flow

Have you ever wondered why even though you try and try you don't seem to be going anywhere? Or perhaps you are pulled into a direction you really don't want to go but resisting is futile?

It's human nature to have grand plans, starry notions, and ambitious goals but can you paddle upstream that is go against the flow, against the path that nature has set for you?

I have watched many rivers flow by but it is only recently that I've discovered it teaches us many things (one of those aha moments). Its biggest lesson of all is to go with the flow. The river always flows downstream and does not resist its flow. When obstacles come into its path, it simply finds a way to deal with it rather than fighting with it. It either flows around it or forges a new path. The river knows that in the end it will meet with the sea.

Here's a poem I wrote about life and the river. Seems an opportune moment to post this.

Life is like a river
Flowing slow or fast
The course that nature set her
Is her natural path

So many different flavours
The river appears to know
Seems moments that she most savours
Are the jumpy little blows

And thus she laments not
When obstacles arrive
For deftly she maneuvers
And circumvents the strife

The river waits for no one
She takes some on her way
Sometimes they have a little fun
There's time for work and play

If someone tries to stem her flow
She still knows her destiny
The new path also brings her joy
For she always meets the sea

Life is like a river
Flowing slow or fast
The course that nature set her
Is her natural path

~x~

Do you agree with my observations? What other lessons do you think the river can teach us?

Teaser for the letter C :  Change occurs  ....

Written for the #atozchallenge drop by and check out some awesome posts.
Linking to It's all a matter of perspective

My posts so far
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43 comments:

  1. I was a person who had perfect plans and goals, but somehow life had different plans for me, and now I have learned to move with the flow.

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    1. Hi Sheethal. That is the way to go. The Universe has slapped my plans so many times that now it's best to go with the flow. Life is so much easier now

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  2. Be like a river sounds like the perfect analogy for my life right now. 2017 has brought so many changes in just 3 months that I was swept away! But managing to look at the old adage, 'This too shall pass' and 'everything happens for a reason' keeps me grounded. Beautiful verse, Suzy!

    *B for Beautiful: Shailaja/The Moving Quill*

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    1. Thanks Shailaja. This too shall pass is one of my favourite quotes.

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  3. I agree that we have to go with the flow sometimes but then other times we have to stick to our path and cut through that mountain in front of us. The river is a good example because like you said it does both.

    On my Journey To Courageous Living today is about my fear of Being Seen. Come, check out!

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    1. Thanks Andi. Very well said. In the larger scheme of things it's easier to go with the flow, but on a daily basis we need to climb some mountains. Thanks for visiting my post.

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  4. That's the current life challenge I'm working on. Going with the flow. Sighhh. Constantly battling against stream is just... exhausting.
    Happy AtoZing, Suzy!
    Chicky @ www.mysteriouskaddu.com

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    1. Hi Chicky. Yep paddling upstream is exhausting. I prefer the downstream trip

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  5. I'm a bit yes and no with your thought for today. The salmon fights against the river to swim upstream in order to lay its eggs. Its destiny is to fight it. And sometimes your destination or way point is upstream. I do know that just fighting against the current straight on is not going to achieve much but by swimming obliquely, or paddling obliquely (on an angle) then it is possible to make better progress. My husband and I are pretty novice kayakers. Sometimes when we take the boat out we seem to specialise in turning in circles (we call it checking out where we have come from). It is certainly difficult to make progress up stream but by zigzagging across the current we eventually have made ground (and turned a lot of circles)

    Philipa (ozzypip)
    Ozzypip Quilts

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    1. Hi Philipa. At last someone with a different point of view. Your comment made me giggle. I had this vision of you going round in circles. I'm hoping my destiny lies downstream. I've had too many rough rides upstream :)

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  6. I think you have a really good point - life tends to happen to us whether we want it to or not and fighting it only makes things harder. Going with the flow gives us time to regroup and be ready for the next rapids or waterfall we come across.
    Leanne | cresting the hill

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    1. Well said Leanne. Going with the flow gives us a reprieve before we face the rapids and then hopefully we can go gently with the flow again.

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  7. Going with the flow is sometimes difficult as it isn't always what we wanted. But it sure is the best path because in the end it takes us to our true destination. Well written Suzy :)

    Brother

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    1. Thanks Swathi. True sometimes it's harder to go with the flow particularly if it isn't the path we want to be on.

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  8. Lovely thought, Suzy. More often than not, we try to resist when things dont work out as per our plan. But going with the flow and enjoying the journey makes sense for the universe has our back.

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    1. Thanks Shilpa. So true. Sometimes the Universe's plan seems to be the wrong one for us or not the one we want to be a part of, but in the end it always turns out to be the right one. We need to trust in the flow.

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  9. Wish I could go on like the river without a care in the world or anybody! Lovely thought, Suzy and beautiful poem.
    Thailand Travel Stories at Kohl Eyed Me
    26 Indian Dishes at Something's Cooking

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    1. Thanks Shalz. Yep that would be true freedom. Unfortunately we are too sentimental to be too carefree.

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  10. It is actually so calming to watch a river flow. My good name means a small river.

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    1. Nice Tina. Yes very soothing to watch a river flow even when it's fast flowing.

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  11. To remember to go with the flow is the hardest thing. We know we should but we have plans and we get impatient. Great reminder.
    Blame #Lexicon of Leaving

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  12. Good reminder. To let life do its own thing and not get panicked into helping or hindering the process is hard. Here from the A-Z and enjoyed reading.

    Best wishes,
    Nilanjana
    From Madly-in-Verse

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  13. Going with the flow is so natural but yet we resist it. Loved the picture in the post.

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  14. To see the river flow s something that calms ones mind, however if we go into her journey, we surely would know how much she had to fight to make that path for herselves. Launching SIM Organics

    *Menaka Bharathi*

    *SimpleIndianMom*

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  15. Great reminder not to get upset when things don't go our way

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  16. There's so much to learn from the humble river! How it takes everything that comes its way in its stride.
    I had written a similar poem years ago, when I was about 13 or 14...http://titli15081977.blogspot.in/2012/11/ah-to-be-that-river.html

    Shubhangi @ The Little Princess

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  17. I need to learn to go with the flow. I'm okay doing that in some areas but not so much in others. Lovely poem Suzy

    http://www.sanchwrites.com/2017/04/brevette-stories/

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  18. Go with flow, because in the end you are bound to meet in the sea! Lovely! Thank you! :)

    Aditi

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  19. Going with the flow has never come easy to me. I am always resisting things. I guess I need to learn from this post. I must say I totally admire your capacity to express yourself well in poetry, without missing a beat too.

    Boketto and Bohni: Exotic Words with no English Equivalent

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  20. I agree that sometimes despite our struggles in the opposite direction, the river of life leads us in better ways
    Absolutely Amazing Alliteration

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  21. Such a beautiful poem! And also, the river always finds its way!!

    Cheers
    BoisterousBee

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  22. Few words but hard to comprehend. I find it so hard to 'go with flow' but yes its the wise thing to do.

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  23. Insightful and so true. I needed this reminder this morning. I spend too much time fighting the obstacles :)
    https://stacybuckeye.com/2017/04/03/b-beauty-and-the-beast-a-tale-as-old-as-time/

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  24. This is my first time ojn your blog and I Love the way you have captured the thoughts on the flowing river in your lines! I always go by the rule - Whatever has to happen shall happen at the right moment for the right cause.Fret not...Live unabashed! Happy Blogging :)

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  25. I like forging my own path, but must admit, there are times when going with the flow makes sense. In other words I like trying on different hats but sometimes they don't fit :)

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  26. Less stress when we just let go and flow!
    Heidi visiting from the A to Z Challenge at, Decibel Memos (Perspectives absent of sound)

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  27. My comment just disappeared. Trying again:
    That's a lovely photo and I enjoyed your poem as well. "Go with the Flow" is one of my mottos, now that I'm older and wiser. Cheers!
    Debbie @ THE DOGLADY'S DEN
    Latest Post: BORN TO BE WILD: From Teenybopper to Rockchick

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  28. Yes, I agree, although creating a new path is not unacceptable since you never really know if the path you are treading on now is the one for you. So you don't go against the flow, but you don't just do nothing.

    Nice poem, Suzy. My fave is the second to the last verse. :)

    Let's keep writing our A to Z!!!

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  29. Great quote and I really enjoyed the poem too!
    Debbie

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  30. Loved the post and the poem. So true and wise. Going with the flow is the way to go. I like watching the St. Lawrence River where my inlaws live. You can't fight with its current as the boaters know. Great analogy!

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  31. I agree. I especially like the analogy about finding ways around obstacles. We all need to be more like rivers.

    Visiting from AtoZ

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  32. Always wondered if I was wrong to never make plans. Now I guess your aha moment has taught me I wasn't too wrong :)

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