Yesterday, my husband and I took our canoe to a nearby lake that is popular with campers and boaters alike. We’ve been there many times – sometimes the waters are still and silent, but other times there’s been motorboats and jet skis whizzing everywhere. All of us have a great time, regardless of our mode of aquatic transportation, but the view and experience can be much different.
For someone in a motorboat, the thrill of skimming effortlessly across the water like lightning, perhaps pulling a water skier or someone in a raft, is an unmatched experience, full of adrenaline and laughter. The focus is on controlling the machine’s speed and agility – out of sheer necessity, it’s an experience that centers around the boat itself. However, when you are on a canoe, however, you can take your time and observe what is outside the boat. It won’t get your adrenaline pumping, and pulling someone along for the ride is impossible, but it has its own charms.
Canoeing quietly down a tranquil river, surrounded by unspoiled nature, affords you the opportunity to notice the miniscule details of what is around you… a turtle dipping into the water, leaving behind a trail of air bubbles on the surface, a mysterious shrub covered in star-shaped white blossoms, the wide variety of foliage that manages to grow on a surface only a few square feet wide, the sounds of geese and crane going about their daily business. Motorboats are thrilling and flashy and guarantee a good time if you’re brave enough, but canoes hold promises of deep reflection, mindfulness, the appreciation of beauty for its own sake The meditative rhythm of rowing – with yourself, or with a partner – taps deep into your soul.
Have you considered taking some time to observe what is around you, with no judgment or preconception, letting your heart and soul sync in contemplative mindfulness?
