More than a decade ago, I learned how to kayak. I practiced in the pool a few times before deciding to test my skills on the river. For one of my first trips, my wife and I traveled to the Snake River just below Jackson Hole, Wyo. We planned to paddle a stretch of the river known as Alpine Canyon. A friend who happened to be a very experienced paddler joined us.
As we headed downriver, our friend reminded us to avoid focusing on the rocks or other obstacles in the water. He told us to focus on the space between the rocks instead. It didn’t take me long to figure out why. As we started down the river and hit the first rapid, my gazed locked on the rocks. So, of course, I hit one and flipped upside down.
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