Time-Warp Wednesday ~ River

In the kitchen the other evening, I was listening to James Taylor's album "At Christmas".  He sings a lovely rendition of Joni Mitchell's song, River.  (Pop over here to listen to a beautiful recording.)

I can't help but  be moved by this song every time I hear it.  Mainly because it brings vividly to mind the people in my life for whom Christmas is not joyful and full of celebration.  For some, this season is instead filled with lingering grief, sharp memories of painful Christmases and the hurt of past disappointments.  While we anticipate and enjoy this Holiday season, there are some who struggle and  who truly wish they had a river to skate away on.

Here are the bittersweet lyrics to this song:

River
It's coming on Christmas 
They're cutting down trees 
They're putting up reindeer 
And singing songs of joy and peace 
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on 

But it don't snow here 
It stays pretty green 
I'm going to make a lot of money 
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene 
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on 

I wish I had a river so long 
I would teach my feet to fly 
I wish I had a river I could skate away on 
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me 
You know, he put me at ease 
And he loved me so naughty 
Made me weak in the knees 
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I'm so hard to handle 
I'm selfish and I'm sad 
Now I've gone and lost the best baby 
That I ever had 
I wish I had a river I could skate away on 

Oh, I wish I had a river so long 
I would teach my feet to fly 
I wish I had a river 
I could skate away on 
I made my baby say goodbye 

It's coming on Christmas 
They're cutting down trees 
They're putting up reindeer 
And singing songs of joy and peace 
I wish I had a river I could skate away on

© 1970; Joni Mitchell 


My lingering prayer for my loved ones who find themselves searching for a river to take them away is that they would find peace.  And that they would find themselves standing not on a frozen river of isolation and grief, but in the midst of God's river of life ...


¹ Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1)


Whew ... that was a little heavy!  Before you go, I want to send you away with a little Time-Warp snapshot.  And a smile.

Growing up, we spent quite a few winters skating.  I had a pair of baby blue skates that had gray fur trim.  I loved those skates.  I think I tried to squeeze my tootsies into them way past the size foot they were made for.

Our town had a roughed in skating pond by the park.  Now they have benches and a heated shelter where you can warm up.  We, however, parked our boots in a snow bank, plowed off the rink with a rigged up, ginormous shovel and when we couldn't feel our toes anymore, we went home.

In my mind, my shuffling steps rivaled the pirouettes and Salchow jumps of Dorothy Hamill and Peggy Flemming!  In reality, I was wobbly and wonky.

That would be me in the blue winter hat behind my brother.  I'm either waving or recovering from an almost-yard-sale-tumble.  Let's go with waving.

It also became clear at a young age that I had no future in skiing.  Peekaboo Street, I was not.  This is not me adjusting after a big jump.  This is me just trying to stay on my feet.  And hoping my feet are not forever frozen lumps of ice.

Blessings on you this Wednesday!  I hope you find yourself knee-deep in the River of Life ... and laughter!