Everything I need to know I learned from kayaking

Everything I need to know…

Everything I need to know I learned from kayaking! Crazy right? I don’t really mean that literally, but I have learned some valuable lessons from kayaking. Just the other day, I had the privilege of taking my kayak out on the lake. It was something I hadn’t done for quite some time. The reason I don’t go out as often as I’d like is it isn’t something that interests my husband. Anyway, he gave in to me the other day and I was happy that he did. During our conversation about my love for kayaking, he asked me what the “lure” was? His thoughts were: it’s work, you can’t swim and you’re out there all alone.

For me kayaking is one of those things that I do and enjoy but never really put much thought into. So, of course, since I was asked what the lure was, I decided to really give it some thought. I realized the lure had nothing to do with the act of kayaking and everything to do with the benefits. For me, kayaking is a small-scale retreat. It’s something I can do when I don’t have a full weekend or week to retreat. Kayaking gives me the opportunity to unplug, be alone with nature and with God. It gives me the opportunity to feel His Presence on a deeper level without distraction.

Think about it, there’s really nowhere to go on a lake. You can paddle to the middle, the far ends or along the shoreline but there’s nowhere you “need” to be. Anywhere you go is peaceful, quiet and an opportunity to revel in God’s creation. For the time that I’m out on the lake, I think of nothing else but the present moment. It’s just me and Him in the silence and beauty of creation. There’s power in stillness on that lake! THAT’S the lure!

When I went out on the kayak, I realized it was not as calm as in the past. This meant more paddling for me if I wanted to keep the kayak straight and actually get somewhere. At one point I reached an area of the lake where I decided I was going to stop paddling and let the current take me wherever. I must have sat for 15 minutes without paddling. In those 15 minutes, my kayak remained still and centered. Being in that stillness and not having to work to get anywhere was so peaceful. The sun shining on my face made me smile.

Lesson #1: Peace and joy come from giving up resistance and remaining centered on Christ.

I couldn’t resist the feeling of being out on the lake, so I decided to go back the following week. This time, I decided to paddle along the shoreline and keep a lookout for wildlife. I figured I’d take my phone – not for communication purposes – but for access to a camera just in case I saw something interesting. As I coasted along the shoreline, I saw a few turtles hanging around on driftwood. I reached inside my pocket to find that my phone was missing! Where could it have gone? I put it in the pocket of my life vest before I took off.

Lesson #2: Don’t forget to zip up the pocket after you put your phone in! LAUGH OUT LOUD! What happened exactly? As I put my life jacket on, my phone fell into the lake (I didn’t realize this until my dad replayed a video he took of me paddling out). Bummer, right? WRONG!

The lesson for me is God’s is always calling. I find that there are often ideas and thoughts that pop into my head. I know God must have placed them there because they’re not usually something I would think of on my own. For example: I had been thinking about what it would be like to detach from some things in my life. In particular, I was thinking of my cell phone. I was too attached. Checking emails, texting, browsing Facebook, etc. I found myself being consumed by this darn “smartphone” and distracted by being too easily accessible to the world.

The thought of detaching from my cell phone came and went. Each time, I had an excuse for why it wouldn’t work out for me to get rid of my cell phone. The truth of the matter is I really don’t NEED it, I just wanted it. It makes my life easier having everything I want at my fingertips. So there went the thought of detaching several times, UNTIL……………..I was forced to. Then the message came in loud and clear – YOU NEED TO DETACH! So I have. One week later, the phone has not been replaced and I do not miss it. As a matter of fact, I’m less distracted and anxious and feel free as a bird.

So the real lesson #2 – Listen to God’s whisper because the lesson is going to come regardless of whether you’re willing to listen or not. A whisper is so much better than a thump on the head.

Before losing my phone I was falling for all available cultural distractions (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, emails and texting). I was one of those people who needed to respond to an email as soon as I received it. I expected the same in return. My obsession with checking my phone left little time for the other things I wanted and needed to do. While I still made time to pray, I didn’t pray as much as I would have liked. I certainly didn’t have the time I needed to be inspired, let alone inspire others. While I knew something needed to change, I refused to believe it could. How wrong I was!

Lesson #3 – detachment from the distractions of this world will allow you to lead a Christ centered life. I’m reminded of the Medieval Wheel of Fortune which illustrates and states vice versa “a Christ centered life will ‘detach’ you from the fast edge of the wheel.”

I understand how truly blessed I am to have a life that affords me the opportunity to give up my cell phone “cold turkey” and be ok. I understand that it’s not so easy for most, such as parents or business owners. The truth of the matter is cell phones haven’t been around forever and yet parents were able to raise children without them and business owners were able to run their businesses without them.