Spring runoff has an interesting effect on the rivers and streams that wind their way through mountain country. A leisurely trail of water becomes the dynamic power house of energy and motion we see moving through this picture as it makes its way across the land. It’s not just the water that’s going places. Stones that have rested idly along the bottom of the waterbed get lifted, turned, and swept away to destinations often miles away. Nothing about the stone really changes to make it begin its journey other than the water that surrounds it. The energy the water builds as the stream runs stronger and faster can’t help but bring the stone along with it tumbling forward to new places. The river in this picture doesn’t expect the ground around it to change itself. The pieces of dirt and stone it moves will still be themselves when things settle out again. However, they might serve a new purpose when they land. Forming more solid footing for an animal in need of a drink, a perfect hiding rock for a fish laying eggs, or simply being in position to be admired by a passing person. The people in our lives can have much the same impact on us. Have you ever met someone whose energy was simply infectious? When they spoke, people listened. If they ran headlong one direction, others were sure to follow. Typically, these people are engaged in something they feel passionately about; and passion? It’s catching. Sometimes we can find ourselves settled down and out of motion like the stone at the bottom of the water. We are holding our ground and doing our part, but the momentum to move forward towards the next thing isn’t within us, even if we wish it was. That’s when we need to be surrounded by the people that move us, empower us, sweep us up and take us along with them. By surrounding ourselves with the right people, we can achieve more than we ever could alone. As we work together taking turns being the water rushing powerfully down this beautiful mountain gulch and then the pieces that get carried onward in its forward momentum, we can make an impact that reaches far beyond ourselves. Together with the right people we can change the landscape of our hobbies, our businesses, and our families for good.