And the river runs through it….

October 25, 2017 7:27 pm

In the golden glow of morning light, a poem pulls our circle in tighter:

“….. the hush takes us by ears and leads us to the river,

where sunlight pierces the heart and illuminates

the rocks and whatever falls for a moment into the flow.”

– from “The Constancy of Rivers”

by Eric Shaffer

What pulls each of us into that flow?

This summer, as I was pulled into the flow, I dwelled on this question. My first trip was guided by love. A wedding trip, the real wedding, with bride, groom and 22 of their best friends there to celebrate. Nearly all on the trip were young whitewater kayakers, technical creek boaters from North Carolina and Georgia. Ready to paddle hard and party harder. The night of vows occurred the last night, deep in the heart of the Impassable Canyon. Granite walls rose vertically above the roar of Lower Cliffside rapid, boulders strewn amongst the waves. The lovers found an untouched beach, a gift of the high water and heavy snows. Friends gathered, clustered together within the totems of balanced rocks, driftwood, and Syringa. Officiant: equal parts magisterial and mischievous. Groom: beaming, genuine to the heart. Bride: barefoot, elegant, saintly. As promises were made and kisses and rings exchanged, all of our hearts melted, the river applauded approval and in an instant, the current of love swept us all into her folds.

Love!

Love connected the guests on my second trip of the summer as well. But this time, love for living, for nature, for all things wild, and for the friendship between others who value the same. The majority of the guests were reuniting as friends who met in the 70s, working for the Forest Service out of central Idaho. Inarguably knowledgeable, these wilderness gurus shared their passions with us. Floating downstream and socializing along the banks, I heard stories of land plot surveys, Ponderosa pine fire ecology, progressive farming techniques, wild orchid varieties (Epipactis gigantea) and outdoor education for children. Beyond the Forest Service cohort, another family came. A 30+-year-old high school friendship with our outfitter, Greg McFadden. Both sets of guests this trip came in celebration of beating cancer, in the pure joy of living. These middle-aged adults approached each day, each wave, each new plant species with passion and curiosity. With one another, they laughed as they told stories, and laughed harder as they made them. Just as during my first trip, I was moved by what our guests brought to their experience, and what they shared so freely with me.

And what was it that brought me into this flow?

For over twenty years now, I’ve spent the majority of my summers on Idaho’s rivers. Last summer was the first season that I didn’t return. Instead, I dove headfirst into the new adventures of motherhood. My husband Neal and I have found ways to weave the river into our family time. From camping riverside with our son Lucas in his first months of life to taking him on his first 1-day rafting trip, to leaving him with my parents Les and Susan, as we shared a week on the river together. I know it is only a matter of time until Lucas is creating his own memories and meaning, tied to the river. And as we each journey through what life throws our way — be it, children, careers or a myriad of challenges, we can choose to relish in the positive, in love, light, and learning. And wherever we may be on that journey, the river is there, flowing steady and constant, ready to receive us, ready to welcome us home.

Laura Bechdel, 2017

Guide, Mother, Educator