Eight days in Georgia trail behind me now but the water flows more surely within, winding a path of constancy beyond the landslides. The river bathed us in that abandon found when skin sings shock and joy in water barely warmed in summer’s pounding sun. We laughed in a circle of light and water less wily, floating, hair flowing out ahead, forgetting our differences, our past lives, the scars beneath. We followed my two sons in their quest for the sun’s lingering shine on a river we all love. Their little adventure ended in a place perfect where only the crippled and soul-dry weary walk away, a place where clothing soon becomes swim gear and all those fears of cold river wetness washing lose their grip as you sink, slip, melt into riversong. I can’t point to anything that redeems the loss between souls who no longer share the same beliefs. I can’t find any more ground to stand on with some. But. The river. It took us to the flesh of being, pure raw human wash in a flow no belief system or faith revision can devastate. Why do we leave our rivers, how is it we forget that abandon wily romp of washing human pride in the humble truth of skin baptized in river ride? Why do we shun river’s rippling cleanse? Why can’t we all carry such a place within us, into our daily lives, remembering our vulnerability, our humanity? Sink, slip, melt us all into wholeness…
J. Ruth Kelly 
What a lovely ode to stashing away our differences, JRuth. Sometimes, some people cannot let go of their fear long enough to really “see” the beauty of what you have penned, here.
thank you, leslie. i’m sometimes one of those “some people” myself. some days and some rivers are better than others. sometimes the differences melt and we flow regardless. other times, oiy. such is life. but how i long… :0)
Your photos are amazing. I’m just starting out in photography so I hope I can take pictures like this soon. Thank you for the inspiration!
-Linda
thanks linda… i tend to think the subject of these photos are what make them sing. i’ve no real skill. (truly) just find the things that move you and your photos will move too. :0)
There’s nothing like the power of raw water to make you feel small – vulnerable
couldn’t agree more…i slipped in knee deep, my ankle threatening to twist and i realized the thing that was causing me to risk injury was the resistance. so, i buckled the knees and sat down in it. rest of me eventually followed. the shrieks were inevitable… :0)