On the island of Kauai are water irrigation canals which, in time past, were used for floating sugar cane from high up in the hills down to the lowlands where it could be processed and shipped abroad.
When the sugar industry waned, the property upon which the water irrigation canals were located was purchased by investors … and, seeking to generate income and create revenue, they turned the water irrigation canals into a water-tubing/float experience for tourists – Kauai Backcountry Adventures.
Upon arriving at the “Put-in” location for this irrigation-canal tubing adventure, there is first a safety demonstration by one of the tour guides who will be accompanying the journey down the canals.
Right off the bat he shows everyone the proper way to turn around and plop, backside-first, into the inner tube; after which he asks the question: “As you are floating down the canal, suppose you want to turn right. What do you do??”
The answer: Absolutely nothing.
The tour guide proceeds to demonstrate what “doing nothing” looks like, as he sits calmly in the demonstration inner tube.
“Ok,” the tour guide continues, “suppose you now want to turn left. What do you do?”
Once again, the answer: Absolutely nothing.
And once again, the tour guide proceeds to demonstrate what “doing nothing” looks like, as he continues to sit calmly in the demonstration inner tube.
The tour guide goes on to further explain that you have absolutely no control over your inner tube as you float down the canals. So just get used to it. Sometimes your inner tube will turn backwards of its own accord. Deal with it and just go with the flow. Enjoy the journey backwards.
Suppose you want to float side-by-side with your family member or loved one whom you came with. Too bad. You don’t really have any control over that. Just go with the flow. And enjoy the journey however it turns out.
There are several different tunnels throughout the journey down the canals, and the tunnels are pitch-dark. Hence, the headlamp on everyone’s helmets. Oh, by the way everyone must wear a helmet! The tunnels have low clearance along the edges in spots and it’s totally possible for your head to accidentally scrape against the rocky upper portion while floating through the tunnels. Helmets are an absolute must!
Back to the headlamps … when approaching an upcoming tunnel, the tour guide at the front of the group will yell out loudly: “Lights on!”
At this cue, everyone will pass the message back, so others at the back of the group will know … and headlamps will all come on as the inner tubes plunge into the long dark tunnel, deep under the mountain. By the way – there are multiple of these tunnels.
Upon completing the safety demonstration, everyone files down to the water and, one-by-one, turns around to plop backside-first into their inner tube.
At the exact moment each person “plops” … the tour guide who is assisting each person asks them for their full name. This momentary distraction of trying to remember your full name takes any other words right out of your mouth as you land backside-first in freezing cold water!
Wowzers!! That water is cold!
It doesn’t take long to acclimate to the water temperature … and in no time at all, the adventure is off and going!
Floating down the canals there are places where the shallow rocky bottom could possibly do some damage to one’s backside … hence, at certain spots the lead tour guide yells out: “Butts up!” And on this cue, you tuck your backside up slightly!
The tunnels are indeed long … and dark!
But there is no need to fear. The headlamps illuminate wonderfully, revealing shimmering sparkles all over the tunnel ceilings and walls! It’s astonishingly beautiful as you float through!
The tour guide explains what causes the shimmering sparkles everywhere … but whoa, check it out … the coolest gigantic spiderwebs have just been spotted overhead and attention has been completely distracted.
Bobbing and floating through the long dark tunnels, music can be heard as the tour guide who is bringing up the rear of the group plays his ukelele and sings! Without a doubt the acoustics of the tunnels are fantastic! Who knew it could be so much fun and such a joyful delight to float through long, dark tunnels deep underneath the mountain, in very cold water!
Why do I share all this with you?
Hubby and I are currently standing on the threshold of a season of caregiving for our aging parents. It feels very much like standing at the “Put-in” spot of the irrigation canals. There is a lot of “letting go” which will be taking place in this upcoming phase of life.
In order to float down the canals, it required “letting go.” It required “letting go” to turn around and plop backside-first into freezing cold water!
So also, as hubby and I … along with our aging parents … stand at the “Put-in” spot (so to speak) of this next season of life, it requires “letting go” to turn around and plop our backside-first into something we don’t really know that much about. It requires “letting go” to accept landing in a very uncomfortable unknown situation!
Love “lets go.”
Or, in other words: “Ok God … I trust you. Here we go!”
In order to float down the canals, it required “letting go” of being able to control the direction the inner tube went. You can’t make it ‘turn right.’ You can’t make it ‘turn left.’ You just have to sit calmly and let the inner tube take you wherever it wants to … however it wants to.
So also, as hubby and I … along with our aging parents … “float” down this new phase of life, it requires “letting go” to simply sit calmly in the inner tube and let it take us wherever it wants. God knows every bend and stretch of this “irrigation canal” (so to speak). God knows exactly where this canal will take us.
Love “lets go.”
Or, in other words: “God … I trust you. I’ll just sit here calmly and float wherever you want to take me.”
In order to float down the canals, it required “letting go” of being able to float down the canals facing forward. Sometimes the inner tube turned backwards. You had to “let go” and just go with the flow. You had to “let go” and enjoy the journey backwards, if that’s how it happened to be.
It required “letting go” and being ok with the fact that we might not be able to float alongside the exact person we want to.
So also, as hubby and I … along with our aging parents … “float” down this new phase of life, it requires “letting go” of expectations; “letting go” of control.
Love “lets go.”
Or, in other words: “God … I trust you. I’m ok with floating down the canals alongside other people who I might not know at first. Because I’m sure we’ll get to know each other as the adventure unfolds!”
Love “lets go.”
As love “lets go” … we are able to delight in “shimmering sparkles” which surprise us as we go through the long dark tunnels along our journey.
As love “lets go” … the long dark tunnels aren’t as scary as we had thought they would be … because the “headlamp” of God’s light is illuminating the tunnels as we bob through!
As love “lets go” … our heads are protected with God’s “helmet of salvation.” Even though our helmet gets scraped a time or two by low-hanging rock, we are kept safe.
As love “lets go” … we know there are “tour guides” [aka: angels] God has surrounding us to watch over us and keep us safe on our journey.
As love “lets go” … we can hear God singing over us, as we float through the long dark tunnels. As love “lets go” … we can’t help but think: “Who knew this adventure could be so much fun and such a joyful delight … floating through long dark tunnels deep underneath the mountain, in very cold water!”
I don’t know what this upcoming season of caregiving for aging parents will look like … but I’m sure it will be an adventure! I’m confident in God who already knows every bend of the journey. I have my “helmet” (of salvation) and my “headlamp” (God’s Word) to protect and give light in the darkness. I know that I have “tour guides” going along with me every bit of the journey. I know God is singing over me as He comes along behind.
Love trusts.
Love “lets go.”
