Cotton Candy, Carnivals, and Canoes...OH MY!

My friend and I were discussing the concept of paddling in a canoe at our monthly spiritual inquiry class.  this was a flowing dialogue so i tweaked it a bit : saying we were already flowing downstream.  was paddling necessary ?  could we be just as fine to bring the oars in and just float downstream.

this is no small alteration.  since i have always identified myself with "too much effort" then the thought of bringing the oars into the boat and floating down stream was somewhat miraculous.  you mean, i could get everything i wanted without all the excess effort and carefully crafted agendas belonging to who knows who?...well then, sign me up.   My friend had a slightly different reaction.  she was scared to bring the oars in.  then what would happen, she said somewhat sheepishly.   she would lose control and to lose control is scary.  how else would things get done? hmmmm....

How we view this metaphor will be different for everyone since we are different people shaped by past experiences.  we honor these experiences for they have gotten us to where we are today but we also acknowledge that the patterns of our past may no longer serve us for the future. 

As i rehashed the scenario in my mind, i had visions of being a kid at the carnival.  in one hand, i held way too much cotton candy like any kid would and the other hand pointed to all the different rides i wanted to go on.  the cotton candy was special because of it's sweetness and it's lightness.  and i was energized knowing that i had the liberty to go on whatever ride i wanted......not what ride "I should go on" or what ride "others think i should go on."  in short, spontaneity begins to take shape.

we all like cotton candy and carnivals just like we want to live life in a more honest way.  and that means understanding our patterns, "our familiar self" but also allowing for the canoe to gently point in the direction of expansion.  so maybe after all, we can kick up those heels, put our shades on, and float to wherever life takes us.  Now that would be crazy !