Sitting on the nile river in Uganda

sitting on the river Nile

 

Sitting on the  River Nile

Reflections

The Nile River was flowing by me, I had found a comfortable place to sit down and just gaze at it, taking iStanding at the source of the Nile River at John Speke memorial in Jinja, Uganda.n the sounds, the sights, the smell, simply basking in the equatorial sun. A marker denoting this as the source of the Nile was just up the hill. Where I sat the British Explorer Speke had come and found the source of the Nile. No, this was not the headwaters of a beginning river, but a wide body of water moving slowly and determinedly toward its destiny . A few hundred feet from me was Lake Victoria providing the waters for this river.

I looked at some of the strange birds diving into the water for fish, a few almost naked fishermen throwing their nets out from their wooden boats drifting in the current. The scent of flowers surrounded me, the beauty of colorful orchids just a few feet from me. This was absolutely breathtaking...it was a Friday morning and no one was here but a few people washing their clothes, some children playing near the water. I closed my eyes and just sat their in a sense of awe...thinking about the water flowing by me, the places it had been, ground it had covered, objects it had carried, plants it had nourished, and the haven for fish it had been and now was.

My life, all of life was just like that, our human existence resembles a river. We are born and from thatUganda awaits you moment forth we flow toward our destiny, and between this beginning and end we touch many things, tasks, joys, pains, relationships, people all becoming part of that river that is us.

As I sat there I thought about the times I had tried to fight this flowing river called the life of Jon.  I had tried to go back upstream, rowing fiercely, only to wear myself out. At other times I had seen myself as a tiny walnut shell half, floating this river and trying to stay afloat, only to be swamped over by swift currents and waterfalls. Only in recent years had I learned the secret of moving with the flow of the water, not afraid of the destiny, even though I did not know what the future held, but I did know who held the future.

I like the timid swimmer at the edge of the water had dipped my toes in and then withdrawn seeing it as too cold, or I had gone into the river up to my knees, or waist but still able to walk, still in control or so it seemed. Then came the time where my river was dammed up, no more flow, life had erected barriers, there were losses, pain, agony, dark night of the soul...I found myself standing upon a high dam looking down.....seeing the river continue its journey, I had to make a choice, a choice for life, it was either stay here and be safe, which I knew was only a mirage or dive in, jump and enter this river called Jon's life.

Jump I did and I am glad I did. I felt my body break the water, I felt myself in it fully, and fear was gone, the power of the river carried me, no longer did I see it as an enemy to be fought, but as friend to be immersed in.

Years later, not only did the river carry me safely so far, it also washed away a lot of things that were stuck on me such as painful memories of my past, losses that seemed too great. The currents were taking me to places of new joy, of peace, of rest, of effortless living without the striving that had been so much of my life. I was moving toward my destiny and in between I would visit many places, meet many people, be enriched and daily given new power by this river, power to live, power to deal with life on life's terms, living in the now, not in the past, not in tomorrow but right now, alive in this river called Jon's life.

I had also discovered something else in recent years. Not only was I immersed in this river of life, there was a river flowing out of me. The divine power within me, released, refreshing my soul and spirit, releasing the energy, the power that was there. I sensed that this river in me was not flowing toward a destiny called physical death, but life unto life eternal. This River had always been there, I had not been aware of it, this river would always be there, flowing, bringing life, energy, renewal, inner strength, resiliency, healing of heart and soul. It was a flow that would take me into the next life and beyond, a river that was greater than Jon who would live so many years and die, this river was my living soul, that would run forever and ever.

I started to smile sitting there, drinking in my reflections as an old woman came near me, a smile on her face...extending the traditional greeting in English, "You're most welcome, you are at the source of Africa, enjoy it." She did not realize that I had just come in touch not only with the source of Africa, but the source of life itself....and yes, I was enjoying it...jon

 

 

SittingThe Hometown of my youth in Germany., watching a river flow by me was not a new experience. As a boy growing up I lived near two rivers called the Tauber and Main. One, the Tauber was less than a block from my house. I often spend quiet times as a child sitting under the same willow tree in the picture, (on right) watching the water flow by.

I find that there are healing qualities living near water for me. That is why I have always lived near the water. Even now, I find it refreshing to come home in the evening and look out at the bay, take a walk as the sun sets and drinking it all it. Even my birth took place near water on the Baltic Sea.

There is nothing like a Spring or Fall day and sitting on a log, watching the waves, being kissed by the sun and absorbing the moment...jon

Only empty objects remain on top of the water.
Become empty of human attributes, and you will float on the ocean of creation.

Rumi

 

Below you will find thoughts and observations of my time in Africa.  They reflect both an inner and outer journey.  May they lead you on your own personal one, wherever that may be. Click on the picture link and enjoy the journey.

Africa-The Inner Journey...

Reflections of my ongoing African Journey

Africa One Man's JourneyAfrica - One Man's Journey:  Places, people, events that deeply touch our hearts. When you go on a journey there is something you see with your eyes, hear with your ears and even smell.  Here is my journey in Africa both the inner and outer reflections. 

Africa - Reflection on the JourneyAfrica - Reflections on the Journey:  Stories and thoughts of inner reflections in Africa.  As we travel along, things from our past illuminate the present.  Here you find some thoughts shaped in Africa.

Acceptance - Meeting a leper in AfricaAcceptance:  An encounter with a leper.  Acceptance is something we all crave.  To be loved and accepted means safety for us, space where we can simply be who we were meant to be.

 

African Carving - The shaping of the soulAfrican Carvings - The Shaping of the soul:  Events tend to mold and shape us.  The events of life shape us into who we are.  Here a carver of of soapstone teaches me about the shaping of the soul, the making of character.  In some ways it is easier to shape a piece of soapstone than it is to shape a human being.

African MeditationAfrican Meditation:  Thoughts formed and shaped in Africa.  Places in one's life can evoke things within.  Africa has done that in my life. A time of inner reflection.  There is more to a trip to Africa, than the magnificent Rift Valley, Lake Victoria, the Mountain Gorillas, there is that time where you sit somewhere on a balcony in Africa overlooking  a lake, a river, quietly you gaze into the African night and reflect.

African Night SoundsAfrican Night Sounds:  African Nights are filled with sounds that you never forget.  They stick with you and living in Africa they become a familiar sound, they even become welcome.  In a city there is hardly ever total silence and even in the wilderness there are the sounds of the night that do something deep within.

Messengers sent to usMessengers Sent to us:  We don't meet people by accident, often they are messengers and to our surprise they impart to us exactly what we need at that moment in times.  The key is the one who is receiving the messenger to recognize that the message is for us. 

Easter in Africa - Reflections:  Some thoughts about hollow chocolate bunnies and a fulfilled life instead of a hollow life that is simply empty.  There are not many chocolate bunny treats here in Africa, instead Easter for most Africans is a celebration of life.

Celebrations with an African Twist:  Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in Africa.  Sometimes finding a turkey is a bit tough but there is always a reason to celebrate in Africa. 

Seasons of LifeSeasons of Life:  Lessons learned along the way.  As you get older, one of my observations is...that you either get bitter of better. There are new temptations along the way.

My African Puzzle RingMy African Puzzle Ring: How do you put a puzzle ring back together?  How do you put life back together.  Some observations as I attempted to put my puzzle ring back together.

Beauty of the HeartBeauty of the Heart:  This is about inner and outer beauty, while looking at the Kaloli Bird (Marabou Stork).  The stork is quite ugly, at least I think so, but when you see them soaring over Kampala city, there is a grace and beauty to them, you simply have to see it.

Why AfricaWhy I went to Africa and left:  Doors open and doors close for us.  Some years the events of life unfolded and I wound up in Africa, I have come and gone and once again I am back in Africa, it simply gets to you.

One Question asked - Who are you?One Question asked -Who are you?:  As I landed in Kigali Rwanda I was questioned and asked "Who are you?  It has stuck with me...who am I?  A human doing or Human Being?

Different Paths - Similar HeartsTwo Men - Different paths - Similar Hearts:  Reflections early in the morning as the sun rises awakening to the call to prayer in Uganda.

African SolitudeAfrican Solitude - Reflections of the Soul:  The stillness outside of us bringing stillness within.  To be still for some is a labor, we love sounds, instead of the simple sound from within, the sound of silence.

This year Experience Africa-Discover one of its Pearls-The Mountain Gorillas of of Uganda.

 

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Last updated: 04 July 2010

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