In the wise words of Disney’s Pocahontas, “You never step in the same river twice.” I remember being overwhelmed by those words as a child. What did that mean? She obviously was stepping into the same river! Duh!

            As our class explores water on a deeper level, this quote has replayed in my head again and again. In the last few weeks we have explored the symbolism of rivers in both A River Runs Through It and The River Why. In these films, we discussed the rivers representing a rebirth and finding peace. To Pocahontas, a river is never the same. Each water molecule passing through a river is new. Maybe this is why rivers can be a sense of rebirth. When a person is reborn they are not leaving themselves, their bodies, just like the river never looks like it changes- from the outside. What makes up the river, each molecule, is different though. As a person is reborn, they are made up of new thoughts and ideas too.

            I love Pocahontas’ view of rivers because she refuses to fall into the repetitious lifestyle that many of us tend to accept. To Pocahontas, every experience is an adventure, a chance to explore something new. She refuses to take things at face value as she dives deeper into everything she does and everyone she meets to find out their purpose and what makes them tick. This philosophy allows her to want to know more about John Smith which leads her to find not only love but find peace between two societies. Her mindset was the only thing that allowed her to give strangers the chance to show her who they really were.

            Nothing in life is certain except for death and uncertainty. Embracing uncertainty and exploration can be life changing in the best way possible. Maybe we should all try to be a little more like Pocahontas and never step into the same river twice.