Why I Row

$Text Box: Why I Row He said, “Rowing is an economy of mind, body and spirit, a way to understand resistance and realize resilience and let surface suffice to carry on.” His words were shin vertical, back relaxed straight up. Arms straight but active, flat wrists in one line with arms, blades almost touching the water; Quick movement just from the shoulder; then blade drop of the oars vertically until just covered. His words were a perfect catch before the pull; an economy of effort as in swoop of gulls over flat water broken only by smolt; gull’s singular eye moving. He said, “I have had only four perfect strokes in all my years. That is as close to sensing the divine as mortality will coxswain. What is the mastery of man\woman over him\herself in this tidal zone? And if you ask me why I row my answer will be, I row for chance of one last perfect stroke.” © 2005 Dan Kantak$