This photo popped up on “This day in history.”
It left me feeling very weird.
To you, it is just a normal ordinary river … just like any other normal ordinary river.
But this river no longer exists. It is gone.
This is the Elwah River, over on the Olympic Peninsula. This photo was taken back in 2008. At that time this river was deep and swift! My family and I did not dare wade in to splash and play for fear that we might be swept away.
Since then, the dam upriver has been removed (to protect the salmon).
Now … this area is just a big wide rocky expanse, with a small stream (still the Elwah River) gently meandering down through it.
The forest service has spent much effort re-foresting the Elwah River Valley. Hundreds upon thousands of trees have been planted … and are now growing up into tall saplings all throughout the big wide rocky expanse which once used to be a deep, swift moving river!
In a few more years, the forest will have taken over and completely erased where the mighty powerful rushing river once was.
Gone. Without a trace left.
This is our life.
This moment we are living in right here … right now … it’s only here for a moment, then it will be gone. Gone … just like the mighty rushing Elwah River!
All those beautiful moments of raising my two kids … they’re gone.
It’s done. It’s past.
That brief “moment in time” is gone.
That swift rushing season of high school and college for my two kids … it’s gone.
It’s done. It’s past.
That brief “moment in time” is gone.
What are you doing with this “moment in time” right here … right now??
Before you know it, it will be just like the Elwah River. It won’t exist anymore. All that will be left is a wide rocky expanse … where once there used to be a “swift rushing river.”
Make the most of the “moments in time” God gives you. Don’t take them for granted.
There are so many blessings hidden in this “moment of time” just waiting to be discovered! There is so much potential in this “moment of time” just waiting to be unpacked! Don’t waste this “moment in time.”
This “moment in time” … right here … right now … is a gift! Don’t waste it.
You were meant to be this person … for this time … and in this place! And for these people! Make the most of this “moment in time”!
