PIERCING THOUGHTS: Finding meaning of life in ‘Row, row, row your boat’

Published 6:00 am Friday, December 8, 2017

As I’m writing this on Thursday afternoon, the forecast with its possibility of snow has me giddy like a small child. It is difficult for us to get newspapers delivered when it freezes, but I can’t help but remember the excitement of a day off from school playing in the snow. My little work group somehow got on the subject of nursery rhymes, and we broke into a rousing edition of “Row, row, row your boat.” It really does not take much at all to distract us!

For the first time, I really listened to and thought about the words to this timeless classic. Duh. I know. But it truly was a revelation to me. Most nursery rhymes and fairy tales have a disturbing background and meaning. But I love the meaning behind this little ditty. I looked it up, and I was smacking my forehead because I already knew what it was a metaphor for — life.

I think everyone agrees on that, but I found several theories on how to break it down, what each object and line mean. Most theories could be attributed to two main ideologies based on how spiritual (or not) the writer was. Being very spiritual myself, I’m going to share thoughts on the meaning behind this rhyme from my viewpoint, beginning this week with the first line, “Row, row, row your boat.”

First of all, your boat = your life, including your body. It’s the vessel for your movement, your growth, learning, development and awareness. I think it is important that the song specifies your boat. I won’t speak for you, but it hasn’t worked out well for me at all when I try to row someone else’s boat. Controlling myself is hard enough, let alone trying to control other people. When you’re rowing your own boat, it implicates free will and the choices you make that decide the paths you take.

Row, row, row is interesting. Why the three-peat? I believe it is because you’re constantly rowing, constantly moving through life, constantly working at it. You don’t row just for a little while and then rest. No breaks. Unh-unh. Keep moving.

It’s a fact — you have to work for what you want in life, have to apply a little effort to get where you want to go. Unless you row, your boat might crash into the shore, or at the least not go anywhere! It’s also an effort to be careful of distractions that could pull you away from your goals, and at the same time not go through life with blinders on, not aware of exciting changes and possibilities.

Next week I will ramble on about “Gently down the stream,” but in the meantime one line of a children’s song has me wondering. Am I headed where I want to be headed? Is it even my choice? Am I trying to control things (or others) I know I shouldn’t? Am I open to positive change and new paths?

CHRISTINA PIERCE is publisher of The Daily Iberian.