Like a River to the Sea

Ok, I took those words from "Your Bright Baby Blues" by Jackson Browne. But that's how I feel today. All rivers eventually reach an ocean, sea, whatever... It's the way it goes... I live near a river & work near the same river. My home is a small village, I work in London. I love ducks. (Gotta say, you don't see too many on the river in London!) But there sure are a lot in my home village. I was out walking my dog along the towpath the other day & saw a flotilla of ducks & I guess they recognized me! They swam over & waited for the bread I'd brought for them. As I pelted them with bits of crust I spotted one lone duck, a small one, frantically paddling to come & join the others. There's been so much rain that the river's at the high water mark & te current was pretty strong. Try as he might, the little duck was struggling to stay in the same spot, never mind join the others. I deliberately started lobbing bread his way! How happy I felt to see him have bread floating towards him & watch him seize it & eat it! Then I started crying. That's me, that little duck. Separated from the others, frantically paddling against the current, barely managing to stay in the same place & not be swept along with the strong currents in my life. Ah, little duck... at least I saw you & your plight & managed to give you bread meant only for you. I can't see anyone on the towpath looking out for me. Guess I'll just keep paddling.... while I still can....

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