Looking Forward to Today

"Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today." -Mark Twain

  

Life is river.  It is always moving.  It is always unexpected, and something new is around every bend, but watch out.  River water can be dangerous.  Hidden hazards lie in wait under the water.  Sometimes, the river is so frightening that would-be travelers stay on shore.  Unfortunately, many securely tie up their boat to the wharf and hunker down.

 

For the person willing to launch out into mid stream, it is quite a ride.  Adventure awaits us all if we venture downstream, and something amazing will happen today.  If we watch, we may even see it.  Last summer, I met a man who had just retired.  He had enjoyed a very successful career of 35 years.  He was respected in his organization.  He was often asked to speak as an expert.  He confided to me, "I was very happy."  He enjoyed the river for many years.

 

Now, in retirement he seems lost.  Each morning he gets up, lets the dog out, and tries to think of something to do.  He has no place he needs to be.  He is financially secure and appears to be the success most Americans aspire to achieve.  Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."

 

When I see a man or woman with joy launching into the river for another day, I see a person of passion.  At this point in my life I have found that life is about the exploration.  It is about being open to the surprises the river has in store.  I am looking forward to today.