The call of water is strong with many people. And so it is with me, although you'll never find me in a boat and rarely in the water either.
But, in times of change, in times of sorrow, especially, in times of reflection, I find myself by the water.
How does something, so seemingly innocuous, provide such a powerfully peaceful feeling?
As one who grew up living beside the water, I love the never ending sound it provides, gentle and rhythmic most of the time, loud, angry and crashing at other times. And, there's something for all the senses. You can usually always hear it. You can smell it, see it and touch it. The colours, shades, reflections all provide visual stimulus. Rising or setting suns, rainbows and even clouds can all dramatically change the look of the lake. And, then there are the artificial addition of boats, jet skis, etc. Not my favourites and fortunately something that is not a huge problem in my area. I much prefer to see sailboats, canoes, kayaks etc. on our lake.
Recently, the Dragon Boat Festival was held in our city and with that hundreds of paddlers descend on the park and vie for bragging rights for the coming year. And the charity they are currently supporting will keep people coming to the lake for years.
The Northern Water Sports Centre is going to provide the hub for all type of water activity. If I was inclined to be on or in the water, this centre would be of great value to me. As it is, I can enjoy all that the water has to offer by just being at the water's edge.
But, watching practiced, attuned paddlers at work, putting a 500+ pound boat through its paces by sheer strength and uniform, rhythmic paddling is enjoyable too.
So, where is your place of reflection? Where do you recharge?
Live positively - do what matters!
But, in times of change, in times of sorrow, especially, in times of reflection, I find myself by the water.
How does something, so seemingly innocuous, provide such a powerfully peaceful feeling?
As one who grew up living beside the water, I love the never ending sound it provides, gentle and rhythmic most of the time, loud, angry and crashing at other times. And, there's something for all the senses. You can usually always hear it. You can smell it, see it and touch it. The colours, shades, reflections all provide visual stimulus. Rising or setting suns, rainbows and even clouds can all dramatically change the look of the lake. And, then there are the artificial addition of boats, jet skis, etc. Not my favourites and fortunately something that is not a huge problem in my area. I much prefer to see sailboats, canoes, kayaks etc. on our lake.
Recently, the Dragon Boat Festival was held in our city and with that hundreds of paddlers descend on the park and vie for bragging rights for the coming year. And the charity they are currently supporting will keep people coming to the lake for years.
The Northern Water Sports Centre is going to provide the hub for all type of water activity. If I was inclined to be on or in the water, this centre would be of great value to me. As it is, I can enjoy all that the water has to offer by just being at the water's edge.
But, watching practiced, attuned paddlers at work, putting a 500+ pound boat through its paces by sheer strength and uniform, rhythmic paddling is enjoyable too.
So, where is your place of reflection? Where do you recharge?
Live positively - do what matters!
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