swimming

We went to the swimming pool at the mountain yesterday. Fyn had so much fun splashing around in the water. We all had fun reconnecting with the water and the joy of being part of it.

As a child, I wanted to be a dolphin or a salmon. I remember spending hours in my aunt and uncle's pool, but what I looked most forward to were the days in the lake at the cottage. When in our pristine lake I could open my eyes and explore, imagining I was part of the water. When I'd go fishing with my dad and grandpa, I would fish for about an hour then ask if I could start swimming in from the blue line(drop off about 300 yards from shore). When they finished fishing three hours later, I'd still be swimming around in my pretend world.

Sometimes I feel like I am still in that pretend world, but the funny thing is, it is my real world. Those moments in my childhood were more real to me because I was my most authentic self. When near water, I cannot stay out because it feels as if I am completely myself. Living near the rivers and lakes that are plentiful in our area, I am swimming from April when the water temperature is probably no more than 50 until October. It is difficult to keep my eyes open under the chilly water in spring and fall, but my imagination opens and I am the salmon of my youth.

While watching the salmon run this past October I woke up to the knowledge that we live for future generations by our actions today. Although there was a slight chill to the air and a definite chill to the water I had to swim with them. I jumped in and when I got out I wrote the following poem.

River flowing peacefully
crickets hum as birds sing
overlapped every so often
by percussive slaps of
salmon's tail. The story of life,
of nature, of love, of longevity.

Salmon
deep pool drifting
swimming upstream once more
returning, reuniting, recreating

pulling your way to shallows
playfully chasing, rubbing bellies along
the floor--drifting backward to the pool

Long journey come to an end
New life begins

Your longevity comes through your children.

Salmon swimming so your
future will carry on, connected
to us in many ways. River was
created for you as it was for us
and all beings of this Earth.

To share our beautiful world
with future generations--
for we grow old and pass on
our wisdom of life and death.

Beavers building beautiful
lodges for their young
this is what we're meant to be

Neighbors to salmon swimming upstream
in the river of life.

Our longevity comes through our children.

Mother Tortoise is the producer of life--
she is our Mother, we must respect her
protecting her from harm
Her offerings are plentiful
but we cannot take too much

Humans dig out her mountains
refilling them with refuse
It is time to live for her
as we were given her.

Our future generations deserve our thoughts,
we are in a constant state of
returning, reuniting, recreating--

For when our long journey comes to an end
New life begins, our children will carry on.

Our longevity comes through them.