A river jack is a rock, worn smooth by the flowing waters of a river. Some are large boulders, some are small pebbles. Some are solid and stable, some are wobbly, or slippery with lichen and moss. I spent many a childhood afternoon hopping rocks on a small mountain stream, trying to find my way along or across without getting my feet wet. Sometimes it would be easy, with large steady rocks close together. Sometimes the rocks would be smaller, or slippery with moss, and I’d have to step with care to keep my balance. Occasionally a rock that looked steady would surprise me and wobble under my feet. Other times the rocks would be too far apart and I couldn’t move forward without stepping into the water; if the water was too deep to wade I might have to turn back and find another way.

And sometimes, despite all caution and careful balancing, I would fall in.

What an analogy for life! I’ll be hopping rocks in this blog, jumping from one river jack to another and trying to find my way. You’re welcome to come along for the journey.