I sat upon a cold creek bank,
I often do this when I think,
Or ponder over the deeper things,
Like, "what does the future bring?"

Now, the water seldom answers back,
So I sit there, listen, and relax,
And let my mind wander off,
To other shores and other thoughts,

But today the water heard my cry,
And decided, though I don't know why,
To take interest in a lost man's plight,
And offer up a rare insight.

"Ask your question," I heard it rush,
"But only one, if you must."
"Well, Water," I asked with glee,
"How do you capture a distant dream?"

It took some time to reply,
For water is a patient guy,
But I tried my very best to brook,
The length of time my answer took.

And finally it splashed and spat,
"Be the river, not the raft."
Well, that answer really did not seem,
To get me closer to my dream.

"How can I be a river, sir?
When I was put here on the earth
As a man and not as a stream,
Which cannot take me to my dream!

"A raft, on the other hand,
Is the creation of a man,
And can be steered along the way,
Now, what have you of that to say?"

I did not think the water would,
Speak again, if it could,
But, it passed, I was wrong again,
It bubbled, sighed, then began.

"You think too much of a raft,
It can not take you down your path,
But only goes where the path takes it,
And you atop, must go with it.

"No! A raft simply makes you think,
you cannot lose and cannot sink,
But the simple truth is simply this,
If you're the raft, then you must drift."

"But a river carves out its own run,
And that is a how a dream is won!"
Unsure, I stopped and started, startled
Until, to the water, I imparted,

"What does a river have to do,
With winning and losing, I ask you?"
That's when I heard the water whisper,
"Victory was born from a river.

"And the only way it can be attained,
To round the mountains and cut the plains,
Is for you to hold steadfast to the course,
To remember what you're striving for.

"So flow like water and accept the change,
No matter what your future brings,
Just do your best, as best you might,
Win or lose, it will be right."

And then, in my heart I knew,
That what the water said was true.
Never again the water spoke,
And I thought on this when I awoke.

If one is to catch a distant dream,
They must not be afraid to dream,
To search out their own, unique way,
To forge ahead and seize the day.

And take that day as it comes to pass,
To be the river and not the raft.