by Stephen W. Smith

Inside my chest is stored many agendas.

What should I do? Who shall I become? Who needs my help?

I have driven my life by navigating these questions.

Here, sitting by this river, I feel the tiredness of it all.

I came to this place to be alone.

Yet, uninvited companions are somehow here nagging at me.

These old friends whisper their agendas for me.

Fix this! Repair that! Start something new.

They never seem to shut up with their litany of possibilities.

I could remain very busy with these long lists of should and coulds.

Now, another more generous invitation is calling me.

Here, the river is just going by me. It simply flows.

Everything flows. Nothing is impeded. Not even my heart.

The river reminds me that I am close to this flow;

This wet, moist, life-giving freedom is what I want.

I will join this water soon.

Together, we all will be baptized into the river of no agendas.