What are Deep River Children?

In the 1980’s I remember hearing a song called Deep River Woman. Lionel Ritchie was the singer and songwriter and for years I thought about what made a Deep River Woman, deep. 

In my mind it had to be someone who was honest and faithful, loving, sincere and interesting. Someone who is awake to the people and world around them, and who naturally draws people in. She is connecting and inclusive. Because I have a religious world view, for me,  it would be someone who loved the things of God more than the things of the world.

Some of the lyrics from Deep River Woman say:

“Took me a long time to realize

That I’ve come so far

To end up going nowhere.”

 Lionel Ritchie  has tried the world’s version of success , but it was empty. It was “nowhere”. Without this Deep River Woman and her meaningful, enduring ways,  his ascent to the top of his field, with all of its fame/money/adulation–didn’t  mean zip.

It’s not Shakespeare, but it has stayed with me.

I was telling a group of my  daughter’s friends about this song over Sunday dinner. One young man said, “Yes! In an exit interview with my mission president (young men and women serve proselyting  missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) he told me to look for a “deep water woman” to marry. The mission president said, “The shallow rapids are exciting, but don’t linger there too long. Look for a deep water women.”

Lionel Ritchie and this mission president were on the same page! Who knew?

One of my highest priorities is to wake us up as parents to help us do  the harder task of developing Deep River Children. They have to be taught deep river ways.  Are you ready to do the work it takes?

Now that you know what Deep River Women are, we will find a definition of  Deep River Children.

Next post: Deep River Children: Part 2