There was a brief moment to gather his senses, but the pressure was building and he needed to point it forward into the foamy whitewater, and hit it again.
Going solo is not easy. Keeping the bow of the canoe straight between the rocks and avoiding letting it turn sideways and take in enough water to flip it, is the goal. Actually, the goal is to make it to the pull out point safely, hopefully having a thrill along the way.
Stuck between two large rocks he came to a stop. Wedged and taking on water he paused and looked up at the sky, breathing deeply and laughing. If he could get to shore he might be able to empty some of the water, providing some much needed buoyancy.
He learned this stuff in Boy Scouts, but then he was always paired up, providing weight and stroke. Now he was shifting back and forth, but the river was having its way with him. So he pulled his way up to the center of the canoe and found the balance he needed. The center, the pivot point, is where he discovered the control he had lacked. This is not unusual for him. He tends to learn eventually after trial and failure.
Then came periods of calm water, where the current was steady and his breathing and heart rate returned to more normal levels. Even though he could see the churning water a ways ahead, he took this time to enjoy the shoreline visual and position himself for the next chapter. Approaching the next set of turbulent obstacles, he presses his knees against the sides of the canoe and paddles strong right, then left, concentrating on the path of least resistance.
That night, although he only had the dog to share it with, he replayed the ride down the river in his mind. Often it takes effort and some risk to create a moment. And those moments, those simple memories, are all we will have in the end.
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