
When my family goes canoeing (which isn’t often), I hear things like this:
“Nichole, sit down in the middle of the boat and I’ll push us out. Just…just sit down and remember to stay low.”
“Nichole, would you stop moving.”
“You want a turn rowing? OK. Hold on and let’s…no, no, wait!”
“Mom! Stop!”
“For crying out loud, Nichole! Are you trying to capsize us?!!!”
I guess some people were just made to rock the boat.
I was rocking the boat before I took my first breath. Babies who start out in a teenage girl’s womb usually do. Our very existence causes disruption, forcing issues and conversations no one wants to have: You did what? With who? Are you keeping it? How are you going to take care of it? Will you finish school? Get a job? Get married? Do you even love him? Who’s going to pay for all this?
I didn’t ask to ride into life on the wave of a storm I didn’t create. But it happened. I didn’t want to force difficult conversations and tough choices. But I did. Just by being.
Continue reading “How to Rock the Boat Without Drowning Anyone, Including Yourself”