The Calmness of the Sea
The sea is calm; a calmness that at times in our lives can be illusive. As I sit here, anchored up, writing to you at the galley table, I look out the door and witness the beauty of the ocean, sparkling in the autumn sun like diamonds against a sapphire backdrop. The gulls appear to bored, squawking back and forth as they wait in anticipation for us to set our net…
Yet, even though I have heard through the grapevine that the world is in turmoil once again with renewed military action and more war, there is a peacefulness here that cannot be penetrated by any news, no matter how bad one perceives it to be.
Eckhart Tolle talks about this in his book “The New Earth”. He says that at some point in our lives, we become aware of things, such as growth, success, good health, pleasure, but also loss, failure, sickness, old age and death. They are labeled as “good” or “bad”, order and disorder. We largely want to associate the meaning of our lives as being good. But the meanings of our lives are constantly threatened by bad, when explanations fail and life ceases to make sense. He also mentions at one point that “there is no such thing as good news or bad news, there is only news.” It is how we perceive things that make them good or bad.
Trying to find good in any war or military action can be impossible, unless you can grasp the safety it brings to others being persecuted. There are thousands of refugees that are stranded away from their homes and many others have been executed for their religious beliefs. It is sad to hear about these events and we must be grateful for how good we have it here in America. Even when we feel our lives and freedoms are being attacked, we are still very fortunate. Things can always be worse, and we must appreciate every breath that we breathe.
Take time to appreciate the little things in your lives and know that you must find time to notice the beauty of nature around you. It isn’t easy in our busy lives. Finding faith in something much bigger on this very tiny planet isn’t always easy for some. For those that find faith in something bigger, it helps to take the edge off of world events when they do happen.
Tolle goes on to say that accepting instead of judging will help you to align your self with the higher order. I choose to call this higher order God. He goes on to say, “It is impossible for the mind to understand what place or purpose a seemingly random event has in the tapestry of the whole.”
In my opinion, this takes being able to give your life up to God, to realize that we are not in control of the outcome. To get into a mind set that no matter what we do, we cannot control the outcome of our lives, or for that matter, the world.
We can continue to pursue our goals and strive for greatness. We can help the unfortunate by being charitable. We can love those around us and those who need love. We can plant that seed in our minds that we are meant to do great things, play a bigger game and not let toxicity and evil rule our lives.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to what we believe in our minds and what we feel in our hearts. Many of us have been taught to believe what we believe. Others have become aware that maybe some of these beliefs may actually not make sense to what we feel in our hearts.
I encourage you to take a moment and find a place of beauty in nature to sit in silence. Think of some of these beliefs and become aware of whether they are limiting you from taking bold initiatives towards your greatness.
As I sit here at the galley table, I hear the water lapping against the hull of the boat. The sun shines down as she begins her descent towards the horizon, marking another day. The gulls continue to grow impatient and I sit here in complete peace, knowing that I am not in control anymore. I have given my life up to God and I trust that He knows what is best for me.
Did I mention that some dolphins just swam by as I was looking out the window? How blessed am I to witness the splendor of the sea, like many sailors before me.
I find this quote fitting for the moment…
“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Patience, peace and perseverance will create perfection to those who have faith…
Signed,
The Captain