The River

written and Photography by Mark Adam Crow

I came out here to ‘the river’, to lighten my heart, to sort my confusion, to reminisce about a time when life was simpler, and innocent, and free from desire. I look around and I see the very same river as I had years before. The very same rusty cars across the way, the same old tree. I look down into the water and see a few little silver fish, and next to the waters edge, hidden in the sand lies a little toad. Upon the surface of the water, where the current is calm, a world of little bugs and water spiders, dancing about. I look to my left and I find a couple of grasshoppers, courting one another by jumping and hovering in the air. Showing off their hidden colors and making an interesting humming noise. Bees come and go as they do and from time to time, a bird or two will pass over head. I look to my right, and a bit downstream, I can see a couple who had brought their dogs to play in the river. The dogs were ecstatic, diving head first into the cool water.
I laugh. How beautiful this all is. How incredibly amazing to be caught up in this thing we call life. All around me perfection is waiting to be found. There really is no missing piece. Right now, at this very moment, I am sitting in the warm sun, amid nature, calm and content, but still, life is like this river. It twists and turns, curves and bends. Sometimes it is rushing, while other times it is calm, it can be both a force of creation as well as destruction, but always it continues to flow.
Learn to read the signs of the river. Listen to the voices of God and nature. Do not be short sighted, but anticipate the road ahead. Still, do not be so focus on what lies ahead that you ignore the beauty that is found in the moment at hand. See the under lying connectivity to all things. Learn to see the patterns and synchronicities all around you.
Open your heart and your mind to the true mystery and wonder of life. Be humble and open to growth. Love life. It is as it always has been, a matter of perspective. Focus on the positive and be the master of your perspective, and therefore the architect of your reality. Do not seek knowledge for you are a fool. Instead, gain knowledge and seek comfort.
Never be afraid to choose your fate. To steer destiny. Do not be conquered by fear. Fear of pain, of failure, of ridicule. Never stop dreaming, and never stop chasing your dreams. Nothing is too far fetched. There is nothing that cannot be attained. God does listen and does respond to those who have faith, but it is us who must see. It is we who must choose.
Confusion is inevitable and can be difficult, but it also leads to growth. Be mindful of your mind, for your very thoughts shape your world. Be careful what you wish for. Choose your words carefully. Master not only how you act and speak, but how you think. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. It is the only thing capable of saving us from ourselves. It is the well spring of life itself. It is the creator of worlds.