Deanna Roy
Paper type Reflective
August 30, 2012
Serenity
Looking back, I cannot imagine there being anything in my life as important, or as influential as the river that I grew up on. The Current River runs through a small town called Grandin, in the southeastern part of Missouri. The area where I spent most of my time is called the Bay of Nothing. The memories of the river invoke a mix of emotions so powerful as to take my breath away. Bay of Nothing is, and will always be, my home.
Though the name, Bay of Nothing, is not very inspiring, the area is by far the most beautiful I have ever seen. Blue-green water sparkles in the sunlight, and ripples a little in the wind. The water seems almost lazy as it slowly moves on down the bank on one side of the river. On the other side of the river, it rushes by as if in a hurry to get to the end. Looking upon it brings to mind a person torn apart, someone wanting to get things done, and at the same time, needing to savor every moment. The water is so clean and clear. I can see all the way to the bottom in most places, some of which are at least twenty feet deep. The tall hills on one bank could almost be called small mountains. The backdrops of both banks are covered in trees, fauna, cane, and multiple shades of green. I have never been any place that has made me feel freer or more untamed than when standing on the banks looking over the wooded wild country and the clear waters. It is empowering to be part of something so pure.
Once in a while, when I was at the river, Grandma would give me swimming lessons in the bay. The water, painfully cold, sent chills up my back and gave me goose bumps. After swimming, we would sit on the bank and watch the cranes swoop down to the water, as they collected fish for their young. Their nests on the little islands are hidden from sight, but I could hear the babies as