The sun blazed overhead, so we made our way to the river. The water offered a refreshing contrast to the scorching heat, and the trees along the bank provided cool, shady refuge. It was a perfect escape. I leaned back and let myself float. As my body surrendered to the gentle current, the world faded until all I could hear was the steady rhythm of my own breath.
In that singular moment, I felt fully present and deeply connected to myself. Every worry and care faded away. The noise–both internal and external–went silent. Deadlines and demands didn’t exist. Just breath, and my connection to creation: the water, the sun, the sky.
Pressures and a Noisy Mind
I have a tendency to push myself–adding more to the schedule, squeezing in another task, responding to the unspoken pressure of self-imposed expectations. The mindset of “I have to” keeps my life hectic and stressful. But I often forget that I have a choice. That day, the river reminded me: I can choose a different way. And if I’m not choosing, I’m still making a choice–by default.
Too often, I let countless voices bombard my mind. The internal “should” voice is the harshest and most persistent, I also listen to the voices of guilt, shame, and expectation. I listen to others’ needs and demands–even the noble and well-meaning ones–until the noise drowns out the voice within. But at the river, all of that faded. In the quiet, I found peace.
Choosing Stillness
How often do I truly pause? Just stop. Be still. Breathe. Take a moment to connect with myself and ask what I need. That day on the river, nothing mattered except my breath. What a powerful reminder to slow down and focus on life’s foundation: a heart beat, a breath, love, connection.
I was once told, “Ask for more light, for more love, for more of everything that makes your heart dance.” I love that. For me, floating on the river was one of those moments. It wasn’t grand or dramatic–it was simple and sacred. Sometimes, it’s the ordinary moments, seen through the lens of wonder or gratitude, that make life truly beautiful. Maybe life is meant to be lived slower, quieter, and with more moments that make one’s heart dance.