Morning Kayaking Quotes

Grief. The state of mind brought about when love, having lost to death, learns to breathe beside it. See also love.

In every heartbreak beauty intrudes.

Every single iceberg filled me with feelings of sadness and wonder. Not thoughts of sadness and wonder, mind you, because thoughts require a thinker, and my head was a balloon, incapable of thoughts. I didn't think about Dad, I didn't think about you, and, the big one, I didn't think about myself. The effect was like heroin (I think), and I wanted to stretch it out as long as possible. Even the simplest human interaction would send me crashing back to earthly thoughts. So I was the first one out in the morning, and the last one back. I only went kayaking, never stepped foot on the White Continent proper. I kept my head down, stayed in my room, and slept, but, mainly, I was. No racing heart, no flying thoughts.

But in the time since she died, I have been aware, every minute, of my love for her. She lives in my love.

The next morning, I was finally able to have a proper look at the “NOC.” The place looked like some bizarre mountainous Disney Land at first glance. It wasn’t a town and there weren’t any houses to be seen anywhere. It was simply an area that was completely dedicated to having fun in the mountains and on the river. Everything was built on and centered along the large, Nantahala River that flowed swiftly past. There was a restaurant, an amazing outfitting store, gazebos, picnic areas, and places to rent kayaks and rafts to partake in river adventures. It was one of the most unique and fun looking locations I encountered on the journey. DSOH,

I felt a shiver of excitement to feel the kayak cutting through the water, the whole lake open to me. The morning sun slanted gold, making the pink of my kayak stand out warm and vibrant against the dark blue water and green trees on the far side of the lake.