The River of Life

 

 

“Bilbo used to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep, and every path was its tributary.”        Frodo, The Fellowship of the Ring

 

 

 

Bilbo Baggins had a very consistent way of life, but when Gandalf with Thorin and Company came,  everything changed. Bilbo never wanted to go on the journey to the Lonely Mountain to find treasure, even though he is a descendant of the Took family who are unlike the Baggins clan, in that they like adventure. He was shy around other hobbits and enjoyed but often evaded their company. Bilbo never wanted to be pulled away from his normal way of life, in a way his stream, but by straying away from it he was changed forever: because of this, Bilbo has been remembered by many people.

That great river is my daily life which leaves a path behind me that people will remember. All the smaller streams and tributaries are the things that have changed or added maybe just a single word into my life, whether good or bad. A river cannot determine what is going into it; it just takes what it is given. Also like a river, my life goes around things that I cannot get through. The river goes through the easiest path, involuntarily. The small tributaries may make the river clean, fresh, and full of game, while others can bring poison and filth. The smaller tributaries, like debate club and jazz band, also have their input in my life. My daily life is filled with these experiences. My sister, mother, father, other close family relatives, and good friends may be the primary tributaries that flow into me and add to the formerly miniscule river, and most of the time, my family will give me good advice, help, and guidance, while every once in a while, they hurt or frustrate me. My friends also provide the same: they bring laughter and excitement into my life, which therefore makes my life full of color and happiness. They, to, will occasionally say a few hurtful things that will make an ugly bend in the river, almost like a bruise in my heart. The smaller and less important tributaries are people that I have only met once or twice, or a stranger that just said one word to me. It might be a piece of advice that changed my life; maybe they made me feel horrible about myself. It might just be a “Hi!” or it could be a swear word.  

I cannot have total control who adds what into my life. All I can choose is the way I make of it. My first reaction to a statement or action of another may be one-sided; however, I might be able to change my reaction, so that it works to my advantage. If someone said, “You got a horrible grade,” I might take that as criticism, but I could look to it as an opportunity for improvement. In life, if I can’t solve a problem, all I can do is just go around it and move on. I may need to do much more work and take much more time. For instance, if I have a friend that I have difficulty getting along with, it’s almost impossible for me just to be nice to him. I have to take a longer route and try to say nice things to him or her, or do kind things for them. Afterwards, I go and play with them or talk to them during class or lunch. It may take a few weeks but in the end, I have finished my detour and am now friends with that person.

Once, my dad missed an exit in the Grand Canyon where there is an exit every 20 miles or so. To make things worse, there was really bad traffic so the cars were barely moving. This is unlike city exits, which are relatively close to each other. Once you pass an exit it may take a very long time to get back on track: just like floating along a squiggly river, once you pass a certain spot, you may see it again and may need to go 5, 10, maybe 20 times the distance to reach your destination.

I always have a high expectation of myself, but if it took me seven times longer to do anything, I would think that every achievement was a huge leap. I will then learn to be more accurate and careful with my work so that every final product is satisfying. If I handed in my test later or practiced piano slowly and very carefully, I would improve much faster, but perhaps accomplish less. Sometimes I don’t want to take time to do things, and I cut through the task quickly, like a straight river, but I may have missed something very important or valuable in-between. When I write essays, I frequently rush through them and I don’t reread them unless I am required to. If I took more time and if I was more careful, I would probably get higher grades on the essays and improve my writing. I will also face obstacles or situations in which I cannot take the quick way out. I need to take more time dealing with these obstacles. The problem could be a relationship with friends, or picking which college to go to. Taking a quicker or longer path will either bring good or bad fortune, and I could regret it for the rest of my life or I could be proud about it forever. I may need to pick which college I go to. If I pick one that I later on regret, I’ll never be able to forgive myself. It could also be daily things, like, if I need to study for a test. The wisest choice may be to study but sometimes I don’t because I think I am prepared. Afterwards, I could be remorseful for not studying, or, I could walk away with an A.

From time to time, I make decisions to separate from my main life and just go off to other places, like a nature walk. It’s like just finding the time to lay on a hill, stare at the clouds and relax. I may also ask for guidance for a problem. Sooner or later, I turn around and go back with the flow. When I go to a different place, a small stream breaks of the river and goes to where it wants to go. It takes its time and then after its objective is complete, it turns back around to the main river. I may go back to the place once in a while but I never stay. Before, I was a small stream, slowly building up over time. After all my wandering and waiting, that’s when my river finally reaches the end and enters the oceans and seas with all the other hundreds and thousands of rivers, all joining together. All my experience is helping me build up for the end, the ocean, as all rivers and streams must come to an ocean.  After all this time, I now prepare myself for storms, lightning, and waves of adulthood.