Sublime

White-water rafting

The main gateway to the Upper Dordogne valley is Souillac, a busy little town whose major attraction is its domed abbey church. A short distance upstream, an attractive back road strikes off along the River Ouysse, a minor tributary of the Dordogne, heading southeast to the spectacular pilgrimage town of Rocamadour, whose seven religious sanctuarie

Back at the house I ate a bowl of oatmeal; much later in the day came the long slant of light that means good walking.

If the day is fine, any walk will do; it all looks good. Water in particular looks its best, reflecting blue sky in the flat, and chopping it into graveled shallows and white chute and foam in the riffles. On a dark day, or a hazy o

Sometimes someone would speak in a boat. But most of the boats were silent except for the dip of the oars. They spread apart after they were out of the mouth of the harbour and each one headed for the part of the ocean where he hoped to find fish.

“flowing out”; it referred to the spot where the Oswego River emptied into Lake Ontario. Here, atop high bluffs, the British had constructed a fort. They would deliberate

“Default Path Paul,” focused on continuing my career, looking for the next job. The other, “Pathless Path Paul,’’ was finding his footing and starting to pay attention to the clues that were showing up. Clues that would lead me not to another job, but to another life.

Après des mois de mer, et après avoir vaincu les trois caps, il te plaça en position de probable vainqueur. Mais parti pour une quête qui n'avait rien à voir avec le franchissement d'une ligne d'arrivée (victoire futile qui aurait pu faire voler en éclats l'harmonie assemblée avec tant de patience), tu préféras poursuivre ta longue route.

The personal will is a force like a river. You can either flow with it or swim against it. You can use it either to draw you toward your higher path or to constantly punish yourself for apparent transgressions.