Enter at your own Risk...
The Hellgates of the Sassanoa River connect Bath, Maine with Five Islands. It is the only way down the coast to cut through to Bath, a major seacoast town with the Iron Works that build Naval vessels. Of course, you can go way around and out to deep sea navigating difficult head waters to go down the Kennebec River to Bath. So everyone goes through the Hellgates--and takes the risk of the whirlpools that appear out of nowhere as the tides change.
Take a look at the picture of the Hellgate below. Here's an expert kayaker who must know what he is doing. It gets very rough and treacherous! As my Dad said to me, "People drown in these waters!"
Now look at the same location but at high tide. The opposing currents are no longer working against each other creating the whirlpools. It is safe to navigate following the channel. Most folks wait until the water turns into this virtual millpond. But! Gotta be careful that you don't pass through at one tide and end up stuck in town having to pass through the hellgates.
Foremost--when do we create an opposing force in any relationship, family, group, organization which contributes to the whirlpools around us? Every event has two sides of a story....and we forget what we contribute.
Then of course, there is obvious truth about waiting to calm down, let our personal waters settle before we navigate into any "waters" which could be treacherous. When challenged--we have to be steady at the helm, no sudden moves, and just enough power not to become trapped in the whirlpools.
My favorite is this one: pick out something to steer at when you are in turbulent waters. If you look at the whirlpools right in front of you, then you would swear you are going straight--but you are not; instead they are constantly taking you off course.
So the question is this--What or Who is out in front that you steer by? And just remember, that if life only gave you calm waters, you would never learn the skills to navigate where you really need to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment