I paddled through clouds today

Today I paddled through clouds and watched an eagle fly by.  I was kayaking on the Waterbury Reservoir on absolutely still waters.  No motorboats, no other paddlers..just peace and quiet.   The  gray puffy clouds were reflected in the water  where I also saw small patches of blue and sunlight.  My bright yellow kayak sliced through the cloud water as I looked around at the surrounding hills covered in autumn color.  They too were reflected in the water.

There was stunning beauty everywhere I looked.   Yet I didn’t bring my camera.   As I paddled along grumbling about forgetting it I realized  that was probably a gift.   Without the camera I could focus on the details around me.  I could be more in the moment.  Not constantly looking looking for the next angle or image.

The hills were full of subdued colors.   There were the expected oranges,yellows, and reds, but I also saw leaves with peach and rose colors.   They were all reflected in the water.  Viewing the reflections from the distance they were soft and out of focus.  I would paddle toward them but I never could  paddle over the reflections like I did the clouds.  If I got close to shore the birch,pine, beech, and maple reflections were sharp and in focus and reaching straight down into the water.    It seemed like I could reach into the water and grab a branch from underneath me.     On top of the water there were leaves floating.  I paddled through them like a slalom course to  distract me from the long paddle to my destination.  Everything had its own reflection in the glassy water.  Branches, rocks, twigs, leaves, and trees all had their twin in the water below

Every once in while I would stop paddling and just listen.  At first I heard nothing.  Lovely nothing..quiet.  Then I listened more carefully and heard the rustling of the water, the call of few geese up above me, a few gulls crying.  During one of those moments I heard the whisper of wings and looked up to see a bald eagle fly up in front of me, soaring across the water and  across to other side.  I followed his flight and listened to the wings in the air.  I watched those wings flex and beat against air as  the eagle gained altitude and disappeared into the woods.    A few minutes later I turned  and headed home, paddling through the clouds.

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