First published through The Paris News on Feb. 10, 2017. The article can be found on their website at http://theparisnews.com/opinion/article_ab799f58-efab-11e6-a2fd-8799f7381511.html and was backdated.

This is a story about how my life got flipped turned upside down, in a kayak.

For those of you who don’t know what kayaking is, it’s easily described as a personal canoe, but three quarters the size.

Growing up, we would make a trip to Beavers Bend in Arkansas to kayak down the river.

About a fraction of the way up the river is a fork, one way is smooth yet slow traveling, the other is rough but fun and fast. After being told about how difficult the latter was,  I decided to check it out.

The top of these rapids was nice and calm, and I found a good spot, parked the kayak, got out and looked for about five minutes, until I decided I was too chicken to try going down them.

I sat back in the kayak and paddled backwards to go towards the easier path. I paddled too far back and was pulled into the rapids, backwards.

I tried as hard as I could to paddle forwards, away from what was pulling me in.

I go tumbling towards all of the rocks — still afloat I might add — trying to swerve to miss boulder after boulder. The water pushing me farther and farther down. It was rough, and I was terrified.

After what felt like an eternity — it was a mere few minutes — I survived. I felt victorious.

Here’s the best part: now I’m facing a small, 3-foot waterfall. The water up this time around, due to excess rain we had recently received. At the entrance of the falls, a group of people sit, waiting and watching the people get stuck or even flip.

A friend told me a few years back to, “go as far right on the falls as you can.” However, I remembered how fun it was to get some speed to glide straight off the falls.

I paddled as fast as I could get the kayak to go. Only, this time a little more to the left of the falls than usual.

I slide through the falls expecting a graceful glide across the water below. I came to a sudden stop.

I was now stuck on a boulder with my kayaks back pointing upwards, feeling humiliated. Not realizing the water rushing into the kayak, I tried to shimmy off the rock.

With my paddle tossed into the river, flowing away from me, I got out. The kayak now filled with water. One of the guys who was watching swam out and grabbed my paddle for me.

I pulled the heavy, water-filled kayak off of the rock. It sunk right away, and the water was about neck deep. Eventually, I figured out a way to drain the water and get it rightside up.

The rest of the way was smooth sailing — paddling, rather.

Since then, I’ve tried to keep people’s recommendations in mind.