There is something fascinating about a river. A river may be given birth by a small pool high in the mountains. In Costa Rica we have two great coastlines, the Pacific and the Caribe. The unwavering law of gravity pulls the water in one direction or the other, towards one of our coasts, where the river unites with the sea. This is a continuous occurrence with no discernible beginning or end. The truth is that the river is in a constant state of change. The river you observe in one moment is not the same as that which you observe the following moment. Actually on some level that is hidden from our eyes, this is true of all matter….all is in a constant state of change, even our own bodies. It is just so easily seen in the form of the constantly flowing rivers. Sometimes I think, childishly, will the river ever just stop flowing? In Costa Rica the level of our rivers rises and falls with the seasons. During the green season the power flowing through them is amazing and intimidating. During the summer season, when the rains end, the rivers lose their intensity….it is as if their wrath subsides and they become more tranquil. The rivers are alive. They both emit and evoke strong emotions. To be such a small country, it is amazing that so many rivers call Costa Rica home. We have the mighty rivers like the Pacuare and Reventazon, which are natural playgrounds for those who like to experience them up close and personal. We have rivers like Celeste that at times can be as blue as the sky. There are so many more that I could mention. These rivers give us so much to be thankful for. They nourish us, physically, emotionally and spiritually. They provide us with power. Costa Rica is so fortunate to have so many beautiful rivers. It is one of our greatest resources and one that must be guarded and protected at all costs. Like all forms of life, the living rivers are vulnerable. There are those who cannot understand that if we sacrifice our rivers, we are just killing ourselves. That is true in Costa Rica, as well as anywhere else in the world. Costa Rica would not be the same without its rivers and neither would the rest of our planet.
Link to Squidoo Lens on Costa Rica’s Best Rafting Rivers
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