Kelly KleinI recently read a sign that said:
Advice from the Ocean
Be shore of yourself
Come out of your shell
Take time to coast
Avoid pier pressure
Sea life’s beauty
Don’t get tied down Make waves!
Homonyms aside, none of this is really from the ocean, but the advice is all good. I love the sign, but it’s missing something. There is so much wisdom the ocean can impart on us if we only listen.
The ocean is the most powerful force on Earth…yet the most mysterious. It reminds us that what is on the surface isn’t always the whole picture. It may look like a wide expanse of blue, but underneath there’s a whole life going on there. Just as all human beings have a history and different life experiences that brought us to where we are today.
The ocean is filled with beautiful sea creatures and plant life, all needed to make the ecosystem work; just as all people are needed. It doesn’t matter the size, shape, or colour.
The ocean tides remind us to go with the flow. We shouldn’t always just let life happen to us, we should make life happen. However, we must understand cycles. Our lives ebb and flow. Bad things happen, then good things happen. We’ll never have a completely good life…or a completely bad life. Things come, things go. Sometimes we have to ride it out, and sometimes we have to fight it, or else we may just get washed out to sea, never to fully recover.
Currents can be tricky. They can pull you this way and that. Sometimes fighting them will get you nowhere, but if you let it carry you for a short while, you may end up in a fascinating place that you never dreamed of.
It is often said that a person’s heart is as deep as the ocean. We all have a stored away past that never sees the light of day, and that’s OK. It may actually shape who we are today. Remember that, honour it, then keep it in your heart. Without those experiences, you wouldn’t be who you are today.
The depth of the ocean is so great. Each person you meet has that depth within them. See the surface, but don’t judge, for we don’t know their depth.
The ocean is like nothing else. One minute it could be calm; not a cloud in the sky. Then out of nowhere, a storm appears. It is vicious. The waves are high, threatening to capsize the boat you call life. You have to hang on and work through the storm. Then just as quickly, the clouds part, and the waves are calm once more.
We’ve all had storms in our lives. We’ve all had to go through things. But just know, it’s not whether or not you experience stormy seas; it’s learning how to weather them and being all the stronger for it.
What does the ocean mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments! And don’t forget to subscribe to the Passionate Quill newsletter!
Be awesome and may your life be passionate!
