I’m struggling y’all. Struggling to find balance. To find peace. In some ways, my life is more peaceful than ever…more sure…more solid. In others, I am confronted with frustrations I thought were behind me. I don’t understand how it is so hard for the world to see what is right in front of them. I work in a place that I am certain I can bring change to and yet, there are roadblocks I don’t understand, politics I can’t work around and problems I can’t seem to solve no matter what I do.
I once wrote about being pulled under by the tide. The tide of misunderstanding, or a lack of education, or simply a person or thing or institute who was just hell bound to make me drown. Someone I love read that and their response was this:
The tide of the ocean is inevitable. It will rise and fall every night without fail, but those ups and downs are caused by the same force that brings beautiful light to the darkness. The tide also rises and falls during the day, and even though it’s the same force that causes it, you can’t always see its light. So just as it is with the tide, in life there will always be ups and downs. That’s inevitable . And although you’re not the controlling force of your tide, and sometimes the light isn’t as obvious, you know it’s there, whether life is up or down.
You just have to remember it’s there, whether or not it shines bright, always. And sometimes, if you look hard enough, you can see the moon shining during the day, before it ever gets dark.
There is another force of the ocean, rip currents. They’re related, but different than the tides. You can predict the rise and fall of the tides, and you can float up and down with those inevitable waves, just like the ups and downs of life. But it’s the dangerous and unpredictable rip currents that can pull you out to sea. When you recognize them though, you may think you only have two options.
To fight against them until you’re too exhausted to go on, or to float and let them carry you, hoping you’ll survive the long swim back, or be rescued.
There’s another option though. The recommended way to survive a rip current. And that is to swim sideways, away from it. Not toward it or with it but away from it. The hard part sometimes is to recognize it before its too late. But once you do, your life depends on how fast you swim away from it before it takes all your energy …and takes you to the point of no return. You don’t have to let it pull you back and carry you away. Sometimes, the best option is to go the opposite direction, and find a new path…to safety.
—That’s the whole thing. Can you believe how beautiful it is? I couldn’t. Here’s what I took from that and you…can take whatever you want.
I’m drowning. We are all drowning…all the time. But no matter how deep the water or how difficult the path, we always have choices. And we have community. I’ve built mine. Then let it fall by the wayside…then rebuilt. Rinse …repeat. Here’s what I know, the people I love…love me. And no matter the pool or lake or river or ocean I’m fighting against, they will be there. Find those people. Love them. Let them love you. Because sometimes the only life preserver you have is the love you have built.
