Owls and Orchids

“Too many times we stand aside and let the waters slip away, till what we put off till tomorrow has now become today. So don’t you sit upon the shoreline and say you’re satisfied. Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.” – “The River”, by Garth Brooks

image courtesy of worldculturepictorial.com

This is a blast from the past for anyone old enough to recognise the title. It’s the opening line from an old Johnny Cash song of the same name. The strange thing is that it came to me as I was showering last night.  It had been a frustrating day in some ways, and yet in others really beautiful.  I suppose that’s to remind us to see both sides of the coin.

I am in the midst of getting a website developed, something quite new and unique so there are lots of challenges in trying to get my/our ideas across and the finished product to do what we want it to.  Getting it built overseas adds to the challenge and occasionally is almost too much.   To be expected in some ways.

Lets set the scene. It’s Saturday evening and we had finally decided it was time for some ‘us time’.  Curled up on the lounge, DVD at the ready and a cuddle to really make the mood beautiful.  We made the mistake of checking that message we heard come in on the mobile.  Bad, bad mistake.  The web developers wanted accounts opened in a hurry and details forwarded to them, and this is 9pm our time, but of course, not theirs.  I was miffed, I was annoyed, I was downright frustrated and angry by the time I reached the computer  because we had a Skype call the evening before to get all the urgent matters sorted out before the weekend.  To add  insult to injury I am an acknowledged ‘babe in the woods’ as far as this level of technology is concerned. We hired these guys because they are experts and to guide us through this maze. Not what I expected after a very big week and ‘late’ on a Saturday evening.

If this was related to the song, the previous struggles were  “How High’s the Water, Momma?  Two feet high and rising”. I’m in the shower and relating to a song about a flood and the water rising rapidly!  Hmmm,  perhaps I’m being given a sign and things are getting out I’d my depth – not too far off the mark here!    Still, we  got the accounts opened and the information sent, with a very terse email regarding lack of forward planning , especially late on a Saturday night! (The grump was out!)

Then the urgent request for more information from the “happy, happy camper”. This was ruining my cuddles, DVD and rest and relaxation time. I had earned this!   “How High’s the Water, Momma? Four feet high and rising!”

image courtesy of  bloomberg.com

I am really starting to fade under the onslaught by now and my evening is startling to lose its lustre.   There is a raging beast just waiting to be let loose and destroy anything I can easily get my hands on. The flood water is raging and sweeping all in its path, I had visions of last years floods and felt guilty I was comparing my problems with something of that magnitude.

image courtesy of water-fire-damage-restoration.com
Another mammoth tussle to get the computer to do a simple thing for me – sometimes computers are so obtuse! My  evening was almost shot to pieces and the raging torrent was about to sweep me away. I’m hanging on by my fingernals and feeling the water pulling me away!  Thank heavens for French Earl Grey tea. A pot of tea later and a semblance of sanity prevailed.  Fortunately, my tersely worded, yet polite email seemed to do the trick. We didn’t hear anything further from the developers  that night.

So, here I am showering away the dross of the day, the song flying through my mind, unusual in itself since I hadn’t thought of that in years, and wondering what the message was for me. I turned off the tap and suddenly, in front of me was the beautiful scene of a peaceful a lake.  The storm is over?  I’ve managed to navigate the floodwaters and all is now well in my web developing world?

I’m not one hundred percent certain but I’ll take my vision as a sign that I’ve navigated the rapids and smooth water is ahead.  “Cool, clear water”  (Burl Ives). Seems old songs are trying to teach me a lesson here tonight.

image courtesy of senecatraillodge.com
Patience never was my strong suit, so it looks as though I need some more work on it!  Ok, message received and understood,  if I want the placid lake I need to ride the rough waters occasionally and it’s only how I approach it mentally that makes it a rough ride or slightly inconvenient.    I need to remember to “Ask and it is Given,”( Esther and Gerry Hicks.)

I’d like a smooth ride please, easily handled and with the signs and lessons easy to understand and put into practise. I’m willing to learn, with help and I’m sure the Universe will supply all that and more. Roll on the next chapter.

“Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.” Joseph Addison (1672-1719);