I was recently reading an article that described life in terms of the ocean.
Actually, the article was about grief. But as I sat with it, I found myself thinking about life in general and how beautifully the comparison fits.
The ocean is never the same.
Not from season to season.
Not from day to day.
Not even from minute to minute.
Some days the water feels calm and predictable. Other days the waves seem bigger than expected. And every now and then, something arrives that you never saw coming.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that life doesn’t really move in a straight line. We like to imagine progress that way. We make plans, set goals, and expect things to keep moving ahead.
But most of life feels much more like learning how to navigate the swells.
There are seasons when you catch a wave and enjoy the ride. There are seasons when you’re floating and soaking up the sun. And then there are moments when a wave crashes over you so unexpectedly that all you can do is react.
If you’ve ever been knocked over by a wave, you know what happens next.
You hold your breath.
You find your footing.
You wipe your face.
Then you open your eyes and figure out where you are before heading back out.
I’ve started wondering if some of our frustration comes from expecting life to always feel like forward motion.
Because life has rises and falls.
Relationships do.
Careers do.
Families do.
Our faith does.
Even our emotions do.
And maybe that isn’t something to fear.
Maybe it is simply part of being human.
Some seasons are exciting. Some are exhausting. Some feel ordinary. Some surprise us with beauty. Others arrive with challenges we never would have chosen.
But none of them stay forever.
I find that strangely comforting.
Because it reminds me that life is always moving. The swells come and go. The waves rise and fall.
And perhaps wisdom has less to do with controlling the ocean and more to do with learning how to live in the water.
Not every day is meant for catching waves.
Sometimes floating is enough.
And sometimes the greatest victory is simply standing up, wiping your eyes, and heading back out.