The Soul of Certain Possessions
I’ve never met Herman Senter. A retired Clemson University professor, he’s currently in his 80s and living in rural South Carolina. Our common thread is a love of whitewater paddling and the outdoors. He is among a group of paddlers who explored whitewater rivers in the Southeast when it wasn’t common to do so.
The canoe he’s paddling doesn’t look like one to people unfamiliar with the sport. “Is that a kayak,” is a common question when a passerby speaks up. The boat was designed for narrow, steep creeks and it’s definitely not a canoe for beginners.
Herman Senter tackles the "Super Sockem' Dog"
Enter Joe Thompson, another retired college professor who paddled with Herman’s crew for many years. Joe’s a couple decades behind Herman age-wise, so it made sense that when it came time to step back from canoeing, Herman would pass this boat to Joe.
That is the nature of some things, the things that are more than mere possessions. They are part of our identity. They define our soul. And they are truly priceless. I met Joe a couple years ago at 5:45 a.m. yoga. He never mentioned his time paddling so suffice it to say I was stunned to see this canoe on top of his car. Though we paddled in the same places over the years, I’d never run into him on the river.
Last fall Joe approached me about the canoe. He no longer paddled it and felt it wrong to be hanging dry. The boat needs to be paddled, he told me. He didn’t have to tell me. I knew.
Joe Thompson poses with "The Boat"
It was October. Hurricane Helene had passed through the Southeast two weeks before, wreaking havoc just over the border in North Carolina. I met Galen Corozine on Wilson’s Creek, a gem of a river northwest of Asheville. His hurricane losses were many, including a barn and his canoes.
When I arrived at the Upper Nantahala River carrying the canoe that was Joe’s and was Herman’s, Galen met me with a glowing smile. Positivity oozes from Galen’s pores; a hurricane could not take that away. He spent the day bouncing down a whitewater creek, one perfectly designed for the canoe he was paddling.
Galen Corozine is ready to paddle!
As we floated around a bend, a glut of leaves fueled by warm wind floated gently down to meet us. I worked my way through the rapids and watched Galen make the turns in a boat that seemed to welcome its new owner…and honor its formers.
