Embrace the Uncharted Waters

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The barnacle is confronted with an existential decision about where it’s going to live. Once it decides, it spends the rest of its life with its head cemented to a rock.

John Gardner

As I plot my course in life’s journey, I defer to navigational maps with defined waypoints to measure my progress. As I stand at the helm, steadfast focus on my destination, the predictable waters and calm weather lull me into a state of confidence and certainty. This is the legacy construct of living, clear cause and effect, feast or famine, victory or defeat. The choice is mine.

Oh, but when the front suddenly rolls in and seas begin to boil, I am blown into uncharted waters. What course now? What waypoints will lead me back to the calm and predictable? My knuckles turn white, as my grasp on life’s tiller grows tighter. Should I reverse course, outrun the storm, seek refuge in the calm waters I left? Do those waters still exist or are they a figment of a life long past?

I am faced with new challenges in life. The calm waters are gone, the seas I sail are without maps, and the winds are continuously changing. How do I proceed when my beliefs and assumptions are no longer of value? The rocks loom barely below the surface waiting to punish me for wrong choices. Do I throw out my anchor to freeze in place my current state, one not as good as I left but arguably better than lying on a rocky shoal.

A lighter and more nimble ship is needed in my life along with a lighter touch on the tiller to foretell changing currents and shallow waters. Open my eyes, let go of the past, and expect that storms will come and go. Embracing the unknown and unpredictable with nimbleness and an open mind will be my new traits. Where the journey ends I do not know, but the destination is not life’s purpose, it’s the journey that fuels the soul. I will embrace the driving, cold winds and rain as they attempt to dissuade me from my course. The only thing that matters is that I’m at the helm.

#Change #Courage