The River of Life

"And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb". The Revelation reference is interpreted as the Holy Spirit. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, item 1137, considers it "one of most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit". Revelation 22:1

Here's an analogy of how I finally trusted my Higher Power and let go of my ego and self-will:

All my life I felt I was swimming upstream and getting nowhere. I used every bit of will power and fought the tides constantly.

Then, at my rock bottom, I started drowning. That day my Higher Power - God - held a branch over the river for me and I grabbed it right before going under.

I trusted that branch, and my God, to save me. I knew I couldn't do it alone anymore.

Knowing I was finally safe, I clung to the branch and rested as I watched the river of life flow below my feet.

But, I was afraid to leave the branch. I had faith but I didn't have trust. It wasn't until I trusted that the river would take me where I needed to go, that I finally let go and jumped back in.

The river of life has taken me places I never thought or dreamed of and every day is filled with new experiences. It's also filled with peace as my struggle has ended.

I don't know where the river will take me tomorrow, next week, or where I'll be in a year or more and that's okay. That's what trust is about.