We drifted down the backwaters in Kerala in idyllic setting and pace. The waves tapped the houseboat rhythmically as we sailed away without any sense of purpose or apparent reason. Life slowed down. We did less. We took in more.
We watched birds swoop down to catch fish with poise and skill. We stared at the horizon and the backwaters flanked by swaying coconut palms, remote villages, paddy fields and workers. An old grandma rowed her canoe and waved to me as I clicked away. We watched a mussel fisherman bend precariously over the side of his boat rhythmically pulling his nets in. Yes. It had been a good day and a good haul sat in his boat.
Our houseboat crossed some snake boats and our captain explained how 110 individuals row each of these boats during the annual competition in August. But what made me smile was that each snake boat had five singers who sang along to keep the paddlers in rhythm. What a beautiful tradition. What a beautiful purpose. What an artistic way to maintain rhythm. And rhythm is everything for a snake boat race.
Yes. Rhythm is everything for our life. If we could always keep our life in rhythm, what a beautiful thing that would be. Why then can’t each of us have those five singers to help us maintain our rhythm? A strange image stands before my eye, fueled of course by some hyperactive imagination. Five random persons would follow me everywhere to help keep me in rhythm. Of course, each of these five would in turn need their own five…
I decided to stop before my imagination carried me away. And I realized that I didn’t really need five singing strangers following me around. For each of us probably already has five things or persons that keeps our life in rhythm. The trick then is simply to find them, know them and keep them around – whether or not they sing a melodious tune.
We watched birds swoop down to catch fish with poise and skill. We stared at the horizon and the backwaters flanked by swaying coconut palms, remote villages, paddy fields and workers. An old grandma rowed her canoe and waved to me as I clicked away. We watched a mussel fisherman bend precariously over the side of his boat rhythmically pulling his nets in. Yes. It had been a good day and a good haul sat in his boat.
Our houseboat crossed some snake boats and our captain explained how 110 individuals row each of these boats during the annual competition in August. But what made me smile was that each snake boat had five singers who sang along to keep the paddlers in rhythm. What a beautiful tradition. What a beautiful purpose. What an artistic way to maintain rhythm. And rhythm is everything for a snake boat race.
Yes. Rhythm is everything for our life. If we could always keep our life in rhythm, what a beautiful thing that would be. Why then can’t each of us have those five singers to help us maintain our rhythm? A strange image stands before my eye, fueled of course by some hyperactive imagination. Five random persons would follow me everywhere to help keep me in rhythm. Of course, each of these five would in turn need their own five…
I decided to stop before my imagination carried me away. And I realized that I didn’t really need five singing strangers following me around. For each of us probably already has five things or persons that keeps our life in rhythm. The trick then is simply to find them, know them and keep them around – whether or not they sing a melodious tune.
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