It’s Saturday morning and once again I have my large, “Winnipeg Jets” (hockey) coffee mug filled to the brim and I’m thinking about the past week. I know I’ve talked about, “going with the flow” in the past, but my goodness is it ever difficult to do that sometimes, don’t you think?
I remember years ago being in a bookstore, meandering through the rows of books, each one seemingly vying for my attention. I stood in front of a particular section of books for quite some time without a pull to pick any one of them up and off the shelf.
A bookstore clerk came by and asked me if I needed any assistance. I told her I was stuck as to what I even wanted to read. It was what she said to me next that has not only stayed in my thoughts for years now, but I have shared it with many, many people. Instead of asking me any questions as to what I ‘thought’ I might like to read she said,
“Go with the flow, because the flow knows where it’s going.”
A bit stunned by her answer I replied, “Oh okay thank you.” And with that she smiled, and walked away. I never saw her again, despite my repeat returns to the store. I didn’t buy a book that day, but I realized the reason I came into the store was not to purchase anything, it was to obtain this magnificent pearl of wisdom from this dear lady.
And so, when we do not go with the flow in any given situation, it always feels wrong, doesn’t it? It never feels right; it feels like a struggle. The only creatures on the planet that go against the flow with some success are salmon. They swim upstream, jumping into the oncoming flow, as opposed to going with it. I daresay the last time I checked, none of us qualified for salmon status. With that said, I think it is a brilliant reminder to always try to go with the flow; in the long run, that flow knows where it’s going, so let’s let it steer and we’ll just go along for the ride without anxiousness or worry.
Have a lovely, flowing weekend!
The Chicago Files 