A favorite piece of advice I once received after leaving a hyper-hectic job was “Float like a leaf down a river.”
The metaphor was perfect. There are times when the best we can do is relax into the flow, like a leaf down a river, and just allow ourselves to be carried.
I was reminded of the advice during a Sunday afternoon canoe trip down the Hocking River, where the afternoon sun and falling leaves conspired to make a magical afternoon. Like the paddlers who passed them by, some of the leaves were willing to be carried limply by the water. Others scooted energetically like crumpled brown sailboats, fueled by a fresh breeze.
There’s no right or wrong way to move down a river. Monday comes soon enough either way. But my salute goes to the floaters. They took the afternoon off and breathed deep.
