The boat stays in one place, moving only with the current or waves.
If you’re a sailor, you’re likely very familiar with bobbing. One moment, you’re moving along, and the next, the wind dies, taking away your ability to move forward. It’s frustrating, just bobbing along in the sea when you have somewhere to be. But what if I told you that bobbing could be a great gift—one we don’t often give ourselves?
If you’re like me, you live your life always thinking about what has to be done next. You start your day with a personal agenda: wake up, exercise, work (and meet all the daily goals on that list), prepare dinner, write a list of what you need for other meals, and then wind down while planning what needs to be done tomorrow. That’s some high-velocity drive you’re sailing with. But what happens when the wind settles down, and you start bobbing around?
What if I told you to embrace it? Take that moment—when the destination is no longer in your control—and sit with the gentle movement of the water. Without the stress of planning your next tack, would you wind down and think about other things? A calm ocean is like a calm mind. While you’re bobbing, maybe you’ll read a few chapters from that book you set aside, or have a quiet, distraction-free conversation with your crew. Look around and take in the beauty that you were rushing past. When all the navigational challenges are stripped away for a short time, you’re given the privilege of being still. Enjoy that moment. Give yourself the gift of peace. You will get to your destination—because the wind always fills in—but you won’t get back the moments that nourish your soul.
