Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Journeys of Salmon

I was thinking today about Salmon and the trek they take throughout their lives. See when they are born they have thousands of obstacles to overcome just to survive. They are swept down a river at a high rate of speed where predator after predator lurks for the small hatchlings and they are completely defenseless. After making  it to the ocean and open waters they continue to have to search for food while not being eating themselves. Not only from the fish under them but from the birds over them, the hooks and nets beside and all around them.  They spend their entire life conquering hardships and challenges. Then once they grow to adult hood as if by a mystical compass they start to trek upstream fighting the nets and hooks again. They have to jump small waterfalls and rushing white water and the swipe and teeth of the plethora of bears that are out to feast upon them. They have a homing beacon in their body that leads them to the exact area they were born in, and then they breed and just afterwards die. Their lifeless bodies washed back down the stream they fought so hard to swim up. 

I at first thought that I felt bad for the salmon then I contemplated their life as a whole, their existence and what it stands for. See what if we lived our life as the salmon, we are born and immediately we are immersed into a world that is wide open and rampant and there is danger lurking at every corner. As we grow we are faced with challenges above and below us and are always experiencing obstacles on every side. We spend day after day navigating our paths and trying to find a place of our own, open waters so to speak where we can leave a mark and form a life. Then we decide to have families and careers and day after day we come home worn out from every emergency that befell us. Hour after hour there was a problem a frantic call, a must do now scenario and it was always to avoid the things that would snare and entrap us and tangle us up in the net of complacency. Then we set a goal plan a direction and work endlessly to retirement which is always a uphill swim. Trying to save that nest egg, trying to build that house, trying to have the nicer car or bigger yard or fuller bank account. Only to avoid all the rocks and pitfalls as we push harder and harder upstream, to get to where we started at, the age where we realize it’s not about us but those around us our kids and loved ones that matter the most, and then we die and slowly drift back down stream as life forgets us and time moves on.  See we are very much like the salmon.   It's funny how God always gives us examples and shows us life in the simplest ways. The salmon do not live for themselves rather for the sole purpose of returning to the origin of their existence to allow another to experience the same journey. Some salmon are larger and more brightly colored than others, some never make the journey to the ocean others never make the return trip. Just like in life we see many of our brothers and sister die early and late in various stages. What I notice though is the salmon never give up, they don’t just throw in the proverbial towel. They fight till their last breath they swim with all their heart and being trying to make it, trying to give another a shot at the journey, knowing they cannot control the outcome. Never knowing when their journey will stop or how far they will get, but they never never never quit. We as humans always want to give up when the waters get a little rough. We see one small waterfall and refuse to try and jump over it.  We have more doubt in our minds than we have confidence in our abilities. You were born and you floated down the stream and many of you like me are at a point now where your trying so hard to start the journey home. You have families and jobs and loves ones aging out passing you as you swim back to the origin or life.  When you see the hook you become frightened and turn. You see the swipe of the mighty bears paw and you flee from your task. The rough waters cause you to fret and you stall in a shallow pool of calmness instead of trekking on. See all you need to do is look around you.  For many are trying to make the same journey you are, no one has to make that journey alone, even if it feels at times as though you are. 

I encourage you to tell yourself your going upstream; you’re going to swim in the waters of chaos and madness through the pits of temptation and desperation. You will brave the countless dangers that stand at every turn and take the waterfalls of life on time after time. You have to believe in yourself.  You have to find that in you which fuels and drives you. When you feel like giving up give more.  When you feel like falling, start fighting.  When you feel like pulling into the calm water swim that much faster. When you feel like no one else is around no one cares, no one is there I assure you there are thousands on the same trip just look to your left and right. Then find that beacon that leads you home.  Just as the salmon have a road map embedded into them so you have a life map implanted in your heart. When all seems lost and the waters too fast and the bears too big and the nets to long, let Him that was with you since the start of the journey guide your thought your moves your very essence. See what we fail to realize is we are all just fish in a very large river and we all have many perils to face, but the only way you will not finish the journey is if you do not fight. You might arrive with gashes in the back of your pride, or holes in the side of your hope you might even have fins that are ripped from your courage. But if you keep swimming you will arrive, there is hope there is a reason there is a answer and when you look in the mirror today say two things, I can make the swim and I will live for the purpose. You are here for others, you have to set the example you cant give up little eyes everywhere are watching you. Right now you do matter right now it matter and right now is when you stand your tallest and fight your hardest and you don’t look back downstream. You already know the way, you already know the reason, it was programmed in you since the day you were born, now its up to you to make the swim.

16 comments:

  1. ron this is so true for you have hit the nail on the head with this because we humans do tend to turn around when trouble arises before us instead of facing it.

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    1. We all need to face it head on Loretta.

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    2. I have never though of it that way, Thank you for this,it gave me a diffrent way to look at life,No matter how bad it gets never give up no matter what

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    3. Hi,
      I was recently diagnosed with leukemia and, at times, have become very depressed. What a wonderful message you write, Ronnie. Your words are truly inspirational. Thank you. Someday I'd like to meet you and talk over life. It'd be good for me.

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    4. Hey Ron my mom passed and family not right I had to hear of my mom passing not from bro or sis but my cousin told how does one cope help please Ron ..I'm a big fan of your ... Thanks Terry

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  2. Ive been swimming backwards for many years and now im swimming forward. Ive over come a lot in my life and because of my faith in christ ive found myself growing strong. Thanks for the wisdom helps put peace in my heart

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  3. This hits home so often i have wanted to stop swimming and just give up. Take the easy way out or just take my life because i am alone. But there is always someone who looks at me with an admiration im not.living for menim living to set an example for thoes ones who look up to me. Its worth the fight even ifni cant see it now or ever i have a purpose i have a reason i need to keep swimming.

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  4. Thank you Ronnie for the reminder!I will pass this inspiration on to others.May God continue to use you as an example to others & to send out his word.You are so right we all have a purpose & that is to help & set good examples to others Thanks again

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  5. My pastor preached this sermon 10+ years ago. I still remember it and try to live by it everyday!

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  6. Ronnie, I stumbled onto this today, by accident, after reading thru y'all's email. I'm a big fan of the show and had signed up for your newsletter a couple of months ago. I had no idea what a devout Christian you are, but now I'm an even bigger fan! It is few and far between in this day and time to admit AND stand up for those beliefs. I am especially grateful for this story. I have been having THE WORST day today and felt like crawling back in the bed. Your story has given me strength today and God showed it to me for that reason. Thank you. And God Bless You!

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  7. I get tremendous blessing from your posts Ronnie! I watch your show and look for the scriptures on the white board. Lol. Thanks for using what God has given you reach out to others and bring some kind of sense to all the madness of the world. God has called you to do wonderful things! I am looking forward to future blessings.

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  8. Hello Ron I want to know if you could say a prayer for my mother she passed away this last weekI'm having a hard time dealing with it because I had to find out about my mother's passing through my cousin not to it family how does one forgive please give me some information or end but thank you Ron I appreciate you very much lick life Terry

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  9. Hello Ron I want to know if you could say a prayer for my mother she passed away this last weekI'm having a hard time dealing with it because I had to find out about my mother's passing through my cousin not to it family how does one forgive please give me some information or end but thank you Ron I appreciate you very much lick life Terry

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