Change in Plans

This broken paddle caught my attention on my river walk.  I'm always interested in artifacts.  I wonder things like - who lost this paddle?  Under what circumstances?  How did they manage without it?  Did they have a backup?  And, how far did it float before it ended up here?

To me this paddle symbolizes a change in plans.  Oops!  In a careless moment, or a challenging circumstance, you drop your paddle and it floats away.  Now what?

That's like life.  We have to invent and depend on contingency plans in order to get back to the safety of the shore.  These situations may not be calamities, but they are still upsets that we have to deal with.

My hope for myself and all of you is that we will always have a spare paddle, and friends in our canoe to help us navigate when we are at a loss.