Water Park Wisdom (Part 2 of 3)

I decided to make this a three part blog because once I had the first "Aha" moment I started looking at all the attractions at the park in a different way. And so a couple of other thoughts crossed my mind.

Anyway, once I finished the pool/slide/pool/slide ride, I went over to the lazy river. I had started to get relaxed so I thought I would continue in that vein. I went around that thing FIVE times! And I probably could have kept going but I was worried I was going to get sunburned.

Each time around was more and more relaxing, I just laid in my little inner tube, closed my eyes and floated along. Sometimes I would open my eyes and look at the trees I was floating by blowing in the wind. It was MEGA-relaxing. I tried to clear my mind and focus on nothing in particular. Just being. It was so nice I can hardly even describe it.

I started to think about the differences from the previous ride. The first one you really had no direction and had to depend on either yourself or other people to end up nudging you down the next slide. This one, you didn't need to depend on anyone, the water itself moved you along. You just had to lay back and let the flowing water of the stream do its thing.

I think that is what I really found relaxing. The fact that I could keep moving without having to do anything by my own volition. The inner tube was there, cradling me, keeping me afloat and the water made sure that I kept moving along. No effort was necessary on my part. It was so peaceful.

I think this could be likened to a lot of things, but the first thing that comes to mind is "Grace". It is always there, all around you, ready for you to reach out and let yourself be immersed in it. Sometimes we feel like its not there, but that's not entirely accurate. It's there, it just can't reach us because we have turned ourselves away from it and denied ourselves the opportunity to partake of its bounty.

It might be resentment, anger, envy or any other form of discontent and desire for something other than what we have or where we are in life. Isn't it ironic that when we get so lost in our own petty grievances we actually deprive ourselves of the thing we most desire - a little "Grace". When we are in the right place, and have faith, God will "take the wheel" to quote Carrie Underwood and carry us along the journey.

Here are some quotes I found on this topic. Please share your own thoughts and quotes! Signing off 'til next time!

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"...the manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have, at all times, through the Manifestations of His divine Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell therein. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld, nor have the showers of His loving-kindness ceased to rain upon mankind." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 14)
 

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"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." (King James Bible, Psalms 84:11-12)
 

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"In thy thoughts
Do all thou dost for Me! Renounce for Me!
Sacrifice heart and mind and will to Me!
Live in the faith of Me! In faith of Me
All dangers thou shalt vanquish, by My grace;
But, trusting to thyself and heeding not,
Thou can'st but perish!"
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr))
 

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