Life As To A Boat On A Lake

By Bryon Zirker

I view life like a boat on a beautiful lake.
Imagine you are in a boat cruising along at a great speed.
Gliding, floating on a glassy, smooth, crystal lake. A waterskiing
dream.

When you look back at the wake the boat leaves behind imagine
it as your past. Some wakes are bigger and longer than others.
Some are thinner or wider than others.

There it is though, your past. It can not be touched it can not
be gone to, it can not be changed. So why do we sometimes get
caught up looking at it, analyzing it? I say that there should be
only two reasons. One, you are remembering sweet times, good
times, great moments or you are attempting to learn from a
choice you made, whether good or bad.

If you are beating yourself over the head with your past,
STOP THAT I say. Only use the past for learning or
remembering great times and people.

Now look ahead of you toward the destination (your future).
You see the direction you are heading. You may see the far
shore with beautiful trees or a small island with beautiful sandy
beaches or you may only see water ahead as it may be a large
lake. You know somewhere ahead is a wonderful spot of your
choice. Your Dreams. Only you know your destination and
hopefully you have made some solid plans and goals for
reaching it. Although looking to the future is exciting, it also
brings stress and anxiety.

So what if you just stopped the boat right there in the middle
for awhile. Imagine it is calm and quiet, the only sounds are
birds far off in the distance, and water lapping at the shorline.
An occasional fish jumping in the sunlight. You savour the
tranquility of the moment. You do not see the wake (your past)
and your concern for what is ahead (your future) is not there.

Only in the now are you residing. This is a place that you should
be living every day as much as you possibly can, focusing on
living today and not dwelling on the past or always pushing
and driving to the future.

This place is where a world of possibilities can be imagined and
new ideas are born. This is where peace can be truly felt, absorbed.
This is a refresher to the soul. A place to spend with those you love,
those you want to love more. To build deep and long lasting
relationships. Obviously this can not be done with the past nor
is it very easily accomplished when you are intensly focused on
the future.

I have lived this analogy of life as to a boat. I have spent many
an hour behind the wheel of a boat. I have looked back and
watched the wake behind and felt the exitement and anticipation
of reaching my watery destination. I have sat in a boat and
experienced tranquil water surrounding me. Great times I
spent with my closest friends and family. When I think of
those times it lifts me up. I am filled with sweet memories
of fun and freedom.

So what are you waiting for, get out and buy a boat! :-)