About the Rivers - My Book Update 7/16/24

Barely a day went by in our house when there wasn't a discussion about the water. We were water people who lived on a hill overlooking both the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers if you were on our roof. Our house was high relative to the surrounding area and would have been perfect for a light tower or the dome my dad built but never positioned on the roof. One of my greatest pains in cleaning out the house where I grew up was deconstructing the dome he spent so much time, money, thought, and effort to build. It weighed a ton and was in disrepair short of the copper. I had no place for it and was not skilled enough to repair it. Out, it went into one of my old friends' dumpsters. Deciding what stays and what goes is as easy as choosing your favorite river. While I lived only a short distance from the boat ramp, the Shrewsbury is my favorite. I never liked the bustle and pollution of Red Bank, which the rich and famous seem to enjoy along the Navesink. Funny, my sister was one of them.

My maternal grandparents lived in Oceanport on the Shrewsbury. I spent a lot of time with them on the water, having fun, which is why I am partial to the river. It was never a pain point for me but a joy of exploring and spending time with my grandparents. Life around water is as much about perspective as it is about experience. We all know water can be dangerous and have its agenda when stirred by larger forces. For me, it has always been a welcome constant. Water proves that the most significant source of uncertainty we have is other people.

Times pass, and people do, too.

Peace, Chris

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