It is a water sport, after all!

Yesterday we did some seat racing. It was an unusually beautiful morning and I was so very happy to be alive to experience it. I sat behind several rowers who had what we call "good backsplash", that is to say, their oars enter the water and a splash is created such that it comes towards the person behind them. I call these rowers splashers, because no matter what, if you are behind them, you will get wet.

So yesterday I got very wet, soaked in fact, by the various splashers sitting in front of me. The people behind me were also getting splashed and they kept saying "Stace, pass it up and tell them we are soaked!" But I knew the splashers really couldn't stop it, and besides, for that day, I enjoyed getting soaked to the skin.

It is not always pleasant to be hit in the face with water on every stroke but sometimes it is necessary, if for no other reason to remind me that I am doing a water sport. It's kind of like when I do my sit in silence prayer and fidget and feel bored and wish the 20 minutes could end. When I'm at my best and that happens, I remember that the prayer time is like any relationship. It is not always easy, or pleasant, but that does not mean it is not worth doing. It just means that it is not alway easy and fun.

This all reminds me of some pictures I took some years ago of my godchildren. The joy of splashing!