There’s something so essential about good rock music. It scrapes the weight off your soul like a cheese grater. Tuesday was one of those heavy days, so I left the office late in the afternoon with the Foo Fighters. I have their new album. It’s amazing.

I had to get out. I needed to go hiking. With my iPod in hand I left. The music blared and the sun broke. I felt alive. I hiked a while down a trail till I came upon an old railroad bridge that ran over the Stillaguamish River. I make my way to the middle of the bridge and sat down, watching the river race by. As I sat there I noticed something in the water. There was one a first. Then another. Then tons of them. Salmon were running and upstream, right under me. I watched them for a while, making their way upstream.

Jumping and struggling with such a passion to get nowhere in a hurry. What lay ahead? Spawning and death. I wondered why they were in such a rush. It reminded me of our lives. We’re in such a hurry to die. We don’t think of it like that, but that’s what we’re doing. Always staying busy. Always on that upstream push.

I sat and meditated for a while, praying and praising God. I just let the peace of creation soak in all around me.

As I hiked back to my car one things occurred to me. I swim upstream too much.