Slow Down and Meander

By definition a river is a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.  It flows downhill over land due to the force o f gravity. A river can be deep and wide or shallow enough for a person to wade across.

A river forms from water moving from a higher elevation to a lower elevation.  When rain falls on the land or snow melts in the mountains, it either seeps into the ground or becomes runoff.  This water flows downhill into rivers and lakes on its journey towards the seas.

The place where a river begins is called its source and river sources are also called headwaters. The end of a river is called a mouth.  The mouth is where the river empties into the sea or into another body of water such as a lake or another river. The movement of water in a river is called a current.  The steeper the slope of a river the faster the river moves and the more energy it has.

Rivers are essential to human civilization.  They carry freshwater to people, plants, and animals. They are a major source of water used for drinking and by agriculture and by industry.  Some areas of the world use rivers exclusively for recreation. 

Unfortunately rivers are threatened by pollution. If large amounts of fertilizers or farm waste drain into a river the concentration of nitrate and phosphate in the water increases and algae use these substances to grow. Too much algae turns the water to green and this leads to pollution.

I live in Lethbridge, AB Canada and the Old Man River flows right through our city.  It flows west to east from the Rocky Mountains passing through the communities of Fort Macleod and Lethbridge and on to Grassy Lake.  Here it joins the Bow River and together they form the South Saskatchewan River which eventually drains into Hudson Bay.  The Oldman River is 362 km (225 miles) long. 

My photo today shows the river bank looking east towards the High Level Bridge in Lethbridge. 

Here are the sayings on the bookmark called Advice from a River.

• Go with the Flow

• Slow Down and Meander

• Be Thoughtful of Those Downstream

• Go Around the Obstacles

• Immerse Yourself in Nature

• Stay Current

• The Beauty is in the Journey!

These are my thoughts about each of these sayings.

• Go with the Flow - Sometimes there is nothing you can do about a situation so you might as well relax and go with the flow. Learn to let go of things you can’t control.

• Slow Down and Meander - Rivers meander making many twists and turns rather than going in a straight line from point A to point B.  When you slow down and meander you encounter many new things.  Don’t always be in a rush to reach your destination.

• Be Thoughtful of Those Downstream - Be thoughtful of others especially those who are affected by your actions.

• Go Around the Obstacles - Face the obstacles in your life and business and figure out ways to overcome them.  

• Immerse Yourself in Nature - Go outdoors and enjoy the beauty of the world around you. 

• Stay Current - stay up to date.

• The Beauty is in the Journey! - Enjoy the process.  There is so much beauty in the  opportunities and experiences we have in our journey here on earth. 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day!  Give thanks for all the wonderful blessings and experiences you have enjoyed.

# living life abundantly   # published author   # travelling tuesdays