Waves of Possibility

Wild and whimsical waves keep crashing, washing over the sandy shores of our days and nights – all around the world – every minute of every hour – never stopping, never over, just as countless times before, there are always, always more. Yet we’re afraid, thinking it might be too late, that perhaps we’ve missed or wasted the only chance we had at love, a career, or to overcome some fear that keeps us captive, making us live smaller, less joyfully, less freely and dynamically than our souls know we’re capable of living.

Just like all the breaths of all people everywhere, ebbing and flowing, day in and day out, inhaling and exhaling – new chances and opportunities arrive and leave all the time. It’s a natural occurrence – like the fresh, salty combination of air and water, that makes for exciting sailing. But do you dare to risk the odds of failing? Are you observant, and quick enough to make use of that fresh breath of air in the form of a new friend or chapter in your life, or the chance to learn something new? Something valuable that could completely change your life and view? If not, just be prepared the next time, as there’s sure to be another chance to join that beautiful, vivid dance of connecting, learning and making progress. For now, just continue breathing and rest assured in knowing that it’s not too late, something amazing still awaits.

Opportunities – wild, outrageous, small, great and advantageous – continuously keep knocking at our doors. Some get ignored but they never stop. Like waves and breaths, never in short supply. It’s all part of being alive, as we interact with the persons, information and invitations that come our way. We’re free to accept, read and play, or to deny, decline and savour some silence and quiet time. Yet no matter how well we hide, those opportunities keep showing up. At some point it begs the question, “Why?”

As those waves keep returning to the shore, and our next breath follows the one before, we can’t keep outrunning each call, each reminder to heed our purpose. We might as well listen to our hearts and remove our blinders to look with open eyes, love with open hearts, live with open minds or just be kind and let in the subtle signs to trust, relax and let ourselves unwind.

While it’s true, one can watch the waves from afar and just enjoy the view, or hold one’s breath for a while, not allowing the next. We can’t escape forever, what our hearts and souls already know. Life goes on, time goes by, and as it does, we’re continually weaving, shaping and choosing our futures and destinies. With love and courage we can embrace, welcome and overcome each new wave, obstacle and phase of life we get to face. We can give into fear or let love make us brave, as we leave or extend our comfort zones to navigate our way through waves of uncertainty, possibility, adventure, love, art and change.

It is how we choose to interact with each wave and breath that determines whether they add or subtract, allow us to welcome the new, or drown our dreams in doubt, when we shrink back and instead, stay captives of a sad, but familiar shibboleth.

But for me, despite being someone in a complicated relationship with breathing, and a mild fear of the open sea, I’ll always choose the new, the fresh breath, the distant view. The option with the beautiful, unusual hue that keeps reminding me of love, passion and the importance of just being, feeling free and to keep believing. Because some things, presences and hearts are a constant, sometimes eccentric or strange, but always distinct. No matter what the time or distance – whether at times riding the waves or resisting them within the heart’s range of vision – everything is possible, sometimes seemingly illogical, but still alive, clear and practical. Like waves, like breaths, like love…

PHOTO CREDIT : MARK HARPUR