Pockets Along the Way

Snowmachining the Yentna River was never just about getting from point A to point B. It was about paying attention.

We freighted our supplies in the winter — everything we needed for the year — because that was the best time to move heavy loads. The fifty-five-mile trail from our cabin to Deshka Landing took us through changing terrain, and with it came subtle but noticeable differences.

There were temperature drops and rises along the way. When we left the trees and dropped into the 20-Mile Slough, it always felt colder. The elevation change wasn’t dramatic, but the openness was. In the trees, the wind was blocked. Out on the river, it wasn’t.

And then there were the pockets — stretches on the Yentna where the cold settled in unexpectedly. One minute everything felt steady, and the next it was noticeably colder. It reminded me of swimming in a river as a child, suddenly passing through a patch of warm water or a pocket of cold. Nothing about the river had changed direction, but the experience shifted.

What struck me later was this: we never stopped because of those temperature changes.

If we had pulled over every time the cold dipped or the air felt different, we would have never made it to town. We expected the changes and stayed focused on where we were going. The destination didn’t move just because the conditions did.

Life works the same way.

There are seasons when we feel strong, motivated, and clear. Then — sometimes without warning — we hit a cooler stretch. Energy fades. Enthusiasm dips. The resolve we once had begins to thin out. Nothing dramatic happens. No sharp turn. Just… a pocket.

Those moments aren’t a signal to stop. They’re part of the journey.

What matters is remembering what’s important and staying the course even when the temperature changes. Direction matters more than feeling. Faithfulness matters more than momentum.

Because if we stop every time conditions shift, we never reach what we set out for.

I’m reminded of Galatians 6:9:

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Where have you noticed a “temperature change” in your life lately — and what helps you keep moving forward anyway?

— Ann Parker