The Rocks in the River

What put that thought in my mind?  How often I ask myself when a stray memory or an unexpected detail from some obscure event stirs through my mind popping unannounced into my consciousness.   Thoughts flow through our minds as randomly as rocks appear in the river. 

The RIO GRANDE:  the river is impressive in its length, breadth, history and fame; covering more than 1800 miles in length.  It is the second longest river in North America, (the first is the Mississippi).  The river is dynamic, always changing in width, depth, current flow, water color and clarity.  It supports the flora and fauna; trees, shrubs, birds and wildlife, the  fisherman, recreational boaters, swimmers, and industry built along its banks. 

Find in its water a vast variety of human debris and detritus.  It is infamous for wetback smuggling and drug trafficking.  Endless battles have been fought over boundaries, water rights and depth control. The river has long been celebrated in song, prose and poetry.

I have had frequent encounters with the Rio Grande in the years that my husband and I have traveled via motor home. There are times that we have walked across her bridges to visit Mexican border towns, driven over the river in cars or by bus, been guided along her embankments by museum docents delving into history and guided by expert birders rousting out amazing birds living along her shores.  We have picnicked along her banks and studied her history in museums and books. 

On a recent paddle (canoe) under the tutelage of experienced birders, I was admonished to stay on the lookout for rocks and logs lying in waiting to impede our way.  That day the water level was low, controlled by the Falcon Dam adjacent to Falcon State park in Texas.  This admonishment was well advised.  There were many sudden surprises threatening our hull or holding us captive on a jutting rock.

Encounters with massive shoals solidly packed with silt and sea shells scraped along our hull often sending my helmsman out of the canoe to walk on the mounds and manually guide our way clear.  Canoes were held captive on obscure rocks causing angst and meticulous navigational skills to avoid falling into the fast currents in the clear channel nearby.

My mind sprinted between glorious sightings of Ringed Kingfishers, Audubon’s Orioles, Yellow Rumped Warblers, White Pelicans, Green Jays and Neotropic Cormorants, or Cara Cara and Osprey in flight and the urgency in sighting hazardous rocks.  I can’t avoid turning these threats into a simile for obstacles placed in our daily lives; our plans gone astray, changed goals, thwarted expectations, or globally,  the plethora of hatred, brutality, injustice, fraud and fear in this world.  I must put that out of my mind for awhile, the only hindrance being the rocks in the river. 

How lucky I am to be floating down river, focusing on birds or trees (such as the endangered Mexican Cypress) with all of nature surrounding me.  How lucky I am to have needs and wants mostly fulfilled.  How lucky to have loving family and friends and to be able to savor the joys of travel, agile, curious and energetic enough to seek adventure   Excuse me now, we are in a deep channel, no rocks in sight.  I am reaching for my binoculars.  There is a possible sighting of a rare roadside hawk.

Ann Carol Goldberg