River

​I am not good with big word at the best of times but early in the morning I really could say anything and mean something different.  It occurred to me this morning my life is like a river.  I cannot say that is deep, though it could be in parts if the river is deep.
Apparently the Nile is in parts.  Deep and fast flowing.  A show I saw showed researchers using little nets at the side and catching heaps of little fish.  A lot of them were species never identified before.  I think anything I catch has been identified, but I catch some really weird stuff.
Many times rivers start in the mountains as little creeks.  They are often joined by other little creeks and become rivers.  Some are really long, and others are short.  Mine seems a fairly average length (please stay with me here as I’m trying – very trying).
One thing I reckon though, this river has reached the plains and will join the sea soon.  This river flows to the sea, rather than inland.
It seems each step of the way rivers can provide refreshment but have dangers all their own.  In mountains big drops happen.  Many a movie shows a person bobbing in the water and heading towards a giant waterfall.  I think as a river I need to be ready for that.  Life dishes out stuff and sometimes it is not pleasant, but it happens.  The choice is always mine though.  At that point I can head underground never to be seen again or despite the trauma remain visible and continue to meet the needs of those on the shoreline.
The Boulders in North Queensland is a place to avoid.  It is famous for currents that push people underwater permanently.  I reckon the current in my life can do that if I let it – by my words.  They can bring life or death.  Weather I like it or not, really bad negative stuff can push someone underwater permanently.
This river has sort of negotiated that stuff and is now on the plains heading towards the sea.  There are things to be careful of here as well.  Just to our north - crocodiles.  I remember tubing from the highway to the sea at Rolling Stone.  I would not now though.  There are signs up advising not to swim because of crocodiles.  Got to say though, the fishing has never been better.
There are things out to get me.  Do me in.  I know I need to take all reasonable precautions to prevent that happening.  We were fishing from a boat in the Daintree.  I was wary pulling up the anchor.  I was night fishing there from a jetty.  I decided it was time to go home when a set of eyes came my way across the river.
Self-preservation seems to come in handy.  There seems to be things that will keep this river from reaching the sea, and things in this river that are out to get me.  I want this river to reach the sea though.  Despite the dangers I love that I can be sustained, and others can to.