“Be shore of yourself. Come out of your shell. Take time to coast. Avoid pier pressure. Sea life’s beauty. Don’t get so tide down on work that you miss out on life’s beautiful waves” – Ocean
Last summer, my wife and I took a relaxing vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As soon as we walked into our hotel room, I heard the ocean's calming sound. I rushed outside to our balcony and was greeted with the smell of salty water and a breathtaking view of the Atlantic. Fortunately, it was close to sunset, so I was welcomed with a clear sky and beautiful sun rays painting over the different shades of blue water. I couldn’t wait till the morning, so I could rush to the beach and find the spot with the best view to lay down my towel, coffee, and book. On this trip, I had the opportunity to catch up on a couple of books and listen to good music. It was the perfect time to reflect on my life journey, disengage from the noise of my phone, evaluate the progress on my current goals, and work on alignments toward my future goals.
As I spent more time by the ocean, I started to reflect on the life lessons the ocean was whispering to me. So, I put down my book, "Discover Your True North" by Bill George, and listened to what I call "Devotions from the Ocean" brought to me by the Atlantic Ocean. I learned some powerful lessons from the Atlantic Ocean, and I'd like to share them with you so that they can be catalysts for your self-discovery and reflection.
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” – William Arthur Ward
Here are the ten lessons I have learned from the Ocean:
1) Ocean 360° view
Standing in the ocean with the soft feeling of sand under my feet, I turned 360° and asked myself, “Which direction should I be focusing on?” I realized there was value in every angle, but ultimately there is only one to keep the focus on.
a. Behind me – There was the beach, safety, comfort zone, the beginning of the journey, the familiar, and where I should not focus. The beach is your foundation, but it can’t be a destination.
b. Beside me – I saw people. Lots of people. Different skin colors, sizes, and cultures. My awareness grew as I realized that I'm not alone, and we can all exist and embrace our unique selves. You don’t need to be a copycat or ride on others’ waves just because that’s what people want you to do. Follow your passion- you are already an irreplicable star.
c. In front of me – That’s where I found my true North, the endless blue ocean to be discovered, and a future with a wide-open invitation. It is impossible to explore the ocean by looking backward. Trust me, if you keep your focus on the beach, you will get hit by one of those waves that’ll turn your body upside down, and you only have yourself to blame. The ocean will continue to remind you till you turn around and look forward so you can see the waves coming, plan to jump, and ride the wave.
“There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.” – Dave Barry
2) Ocean waves don’t behave
If you have spent time in the ocean, then you know the house rules. You know, the rule where the ocean doesn’t like when you give it your back. The ocean will send some waves your way to knock you off your feet remind you to turn around and be respectful. If you study ocean waves and their origin, you will realize that some waves are caused by wind, ranging from small waves to rogue waves or monster waves. Earthquakes cause another type of wave, and they are called Tsunamis. During my time in the ocean, I wondered whether the ocean was trying to teach me something with its wild and ruthless waves.
In the same way, life can sometimes be calm, but it can also be cruel, wild, and ruthless when it tries to teach us a lesson with lasting effects. Perhaps the ocean was trying to teach me a lesson about how to deal with adversity and recognize that seasons of hardships help define one's identity. Or, perhaps it was trying to test my perseverance. Am I going to maintain my position in hard times or give up?
“The universe is an ocean upon which we are the waves. While some decide to surf, others venture to dive.” – Charbel Tadros
3) There is a reason for your season
If you haven’t experienced the shock of plunging into the cold, salty water of the ocean, then you are missing out. Okay, I am kidding; it is not fun, not fun at all. One morning, I was in the water enjoying the beautiful sun rays, the soft sand underneath, and the different shades of blue ocean water. Then, out of the blue (literally not figuratively), a huge wave slammed into me, throwing my feet up and my arms wide open. The soft sand beneath me had disappeared, and I felt as if I was thrown into deep water and couldn’t touch the bottom anymore. Did I mention I don’t know how to swim? So yeah… add that to the mix, and you might get a glimpse of how I felt during the whole ordeal that felt like a very long time (in reality, it was only a few seconds). After the wave passed, my feet touched the bottom again. I realized I hadn’t moved much deeper from my spot (where my feet could touch the bottom). But the wave had temporarily knocked me off my balance and made me think it was over and I wouldn’t have a chance or hope to stand right back up.
Sometimes we go through an unexpected season of life that challenges our limitations and knocks us off balance. A season of pain, struggle, worry, fear, and trials. Sometimes we lose hope in thinking this seems unending. I want to encourage you that there is hope, and whatever season you are in, it will pass. During some of the most challenging seasons of my life, I struggled to see beyond my suffering and pain. But I have learned that when I face my limits and fears and I allow myself to be uncomfortable, I grow and develop. So, stand strong, my friend, waves come to pass, they don’t come to stay. My favorite bible verses about times and seasons is in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” – Ecclesiastes 3:1
4) You won’t grow if you remain in the status quo
I asked myself, “What if I stay close to shore and don’t challenge myself to go deeper”? I mean, I have access to a lot of services when I am at the shore. The resort can deliver all kinds of drinks. I bet I could get Amazon to deliver packages under my umbrella and DoorDash to bring me a hot and fresh-cooked meal. I realized if I stay as is, status quo, I will never grow. I need to go deeper and challenge my limitations and allow myself to grow. But wait! I don’t know how to swim, sail a boat, or fish, nor do I have the necessary equipment to do any of these things.
I realized the value of practicing and becoming a learner. Do you know the famous saying “practice makes perfection”? Wrong. It doesn’t. Practice makes improvement, and you can always become better than your best. But all this doesn’t take place in the shallow, only in the deep. The bible mentions it in Luke 5:4 when Jesus asks Peter to let the nets down in deep waters. They caught a large number of fish, and their nets began to break, sinking the boats. Only in the deep did the disciples witness Jesus walking on water. Only in the deep did the disciples experience calm in the storm. Only in the deep can you learn when to swim and when to tread, when to fight and when to flow. Finally, you can only learn to trust and hold onto God in the deep.
“You will love the ocean. It makes you feel small, but not in a bad way. Small because you realize you’re part of something bigger.” – Lauren Myracle
5) You might be good at hearing, but are you listening?
Have you ever had someone accuse you of not listening to them when you are confident you heard everything they said? Sounds confusing, right? There is a big difference between listening and hearing. Before I tell you how I know that, let me share the official definition of both. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, they define hearing as “The process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.” While they define listening as “to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention, and to give consideration.”
Why am I sharing this with you? When I was in the ocean, I heard many different voices and sounds. However, I quickly learned that I needed to carefully listen for the lifeguard’s whistle. I learned the value of the sound of a lifeguard’s whistle. Once I paid attention to the sound, I gave it more consideration than other sounds, allowing me to evaluate my placement in the ocean and my awareness of my surroundings. My question to you is, do you take the time to evaluate the voices you listen to in your life?
“Through discernment, we recognize the good and find peace in the decisions we make, progressing ourselves to the future that awaits us.” – Christina Schneider
6) The ocean at night is not a delight
The ocean at night sounds mean, aggressive, and scary. I don’t know why. At night, when I walked by the same spot I posted up in the morning, it felt like the beginning of a scary movie. What changed? The absence of light, maybe. I didn’t like it. However, I realized I had to go through the night to enjoy the sunshine the next day. It was a season. It would end. I had to weather the season of the night to enjoy the morning sunshine. It reminded me of God’s promise in Psalms 30:5 “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Are you going through a season where it seems dark, a season where your marriage, job, friendship, or finances were at some point doing great, but something happened, and suddenly, those same things became cold, dark, and scary? My friend, I want to invite you to start believing this is only a season and sunshine will come in the morning. So, stand strong, pray firmly, and allow God to walk with you during this season and deliver you to the morning.
“There have been bleak nights along my way, many of my own making, but life is all the brighter for them now. To the human eye, without the darkness there are no stars.” ― Sumangali Morhall
7) No healing without hurting
Experiencing healing can happen only when you have been wounded and hurt. One morning, I was staying close to the shore, and suddenly an aggressive wave ambushed me, shoving me into the soft and gentle shells (yes, I am being sarcastic, they were rough and sharp). I had cuts on my hand and arm gushing with blood…dramatic music (yes, I am being dramatic; it wasn’t that much blood). Thankfully, I am married to the best nurse in the world, who nursed me (when I say nursed, she told me my cuts were barely wounds and I was overreacting). That evening, I was sitting on the patio and kept looking at my cuts and saw how they were healing. I was left with a couple of small scars that reminded me of this near-death experience. Okay, I will be serious now… Sometimes we must go through some pain in order to heal. During the healing, we may have to face situations, people, or memories that sting. But it is a part of the process and necessary to permanently heal.
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi
8) If you think walking on concrete is hard, try sand!
My wife and I love seafood and wanted to try the best seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach, which was only 6 minutes away by Uber. However, my wife wanted to enjoy the sunset view, so she asked if we could walk there instead. According to Google Maps, it would take us 45 minutes to walk, so I decided it would be a romantic walk and agreed. However, I did not consider that we would be walking on soft sand, and I didn’t know it would take longer and be a more difficult and not-needed leg workout. We started walking on the sand, and the view was amazing. If you can’t picture the view, let me see if I can help you paint the picture. We experienced the vibrant colors of the sun expanding over the horizon and painted the ocean as it descended lower and lower while sending the sky to sleep. It took us 90 minutes to get to the restaurant, and that was without making stops. Although we were sweating profusely, our legs were numb, and we were breathless, we made it.
“The sea is a desert of waves, a wilderness of water.” – Langston Hughes
Do you sometimes feel like your 6 minute Uber ride to your destination has turned into a 90-minute obstacle course? You may be better off walking a longer distance to your destination and gaining life experience than being Ubered by someone else while you're distracted on your phone scrolling through Facebook. Life experiences are not told; they are taught. Now let me finish the story, we arrived at the restaurant, and the receptionist told us they were fully booked for the night and couldn’t take any more walk-ins. We were bummed with this news and even might have shed a couple of salty tears. So, we crossed the street to a bar and grabbed some delicious bar food, and then Ubered back to the room. Focus on the progress. Little by little becomes a lot.
“You can never cross the ocean until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Christopher Columbus
9) Shoaling and schooling, and keep improving
One day while I was in the water, I saw a few schools of fish swimming around me, which led me to think about the power of shoaling and schooling. Let me define both words for you. If a group of fish stays together, it is called shoaling. If they start swimming in the same direction, it is called schooling. I connected this concept to the value and power of being integrated into a healthy community of family and friends. Pay attention; I said “healthy” and not just being integrated into any community of family and friends. A strong support system requires a careful pick and evaluation of its members. It is essential to take the time to evaluate the people around you that you consider to be family and friends because your school will serve you in two significant aspects of your life.
a. They move with you through troubled waters as protection. Have you heard about the “Predator Confusion Effect”? It was proposed by a couple of guys, Milinski and Heller, in 1978 and is based on the idea that it is difficult for predators to target individual prey when they are moving in groups because it is a sensory overload of the predator’s visual channel.
b. They move with you through calm waters as companions.
Find a good school and start swimming!
“You can’t cross the ocean of life just by dreaming about it, you have to jump in and swim.” – Debasish Mridha
10) Hey Ocean, I made my sacrifice, and it better suffice
It is said that the ocean contains more historical artifacts than all of the world's museums combined and almost twenty million tons of untouchable gold. I figured my trip would not be complete without adding one more piece to this ocean’s collection of artifacts. My wedding ring. Yes…I lost my wedding ring, and it is sitting somewhere at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. You’re welcome, ocean! Here is the story: I was trying to be goofy and scare my wife by swinging my arms so rapidly to cause a water splash. While I was doing that, I started to feel my wedding ring slip off my finger. It happened so quickly; I couldn’t reach with my other hand to catch it.
I froze. I decided if I didn’t move, then I had a greater chance of finding it. I asked my wife to dive and try to find it around my feet. After a few failed attempts, she jumped out of the water, raising her arms in joy, and I saw the ring in her hand!! Just kidding, I wish. We didn’t find it, and I looked around me and had no clue which spot to search. Waves kept coming, and I got more sad and desperate to find it. I prayed and asked God for a miracle and hoped to find it by the shore or miraculously step on it underwater. After a couple of hours, we decided to stop looking for it and move on.
Fact: There are more artifacts under the ocean than in all of the world's museums. The oceans are home to around three million shipwrecks and twenty million tons of untouchable gold.
Change is inevitable, and life doesn’t stop moving. What about you? Are you trying to move on from something you lost that was so precious to you? Maybe it is a relationship with a partner, a parent, a friend, a job, or a pet. Here are some tips I use that worked for me, and I hope you find them helpful:
a. Feel the pain – The faster you face your pain and how you feel, the quicker you start to move past it.
b. Healthy Distractions – Start to invest time into healthy distractions you know you enjoy and do not wait to have the desire to do it. Decide to do it. That can be reading books, hiking, painting, or even binge-watching Game of Thrones.
c. Give yourself permission – Either to talk about it or to forgive.
d. Time with healthy family and friends – Remember #10 – Shoaling and schooling when we talked about the value of a healthy community. Remember, your school will move with you through troubled waters as protection and through calm waters as companions
e. Forgive – Either yourself or the other person. It will set you free and not them.
f. Accept it and be honest – If you are not okay, then accept it. Don’t pretend to be strong. Time will pass, and you will heal and be okay.
g. Time – You can’t force time or control the rate of your progress. You need to focus on the next right thing to do. Then the right thing after that and so on. As time passes, you will heal, and whatever happened won’t go away, but you will get stronger to deal with the memory of it.
Finally, a beautiful and famous blue tang called Dory taught us a valuable lesson about moving on when she said, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”
Now, how about you?
How is your life going right now? Are you sailing smoothly in calm water? Or are you going through a wild, cruel, and ruthless season? Do you feel confident about the ground beneath you? Or are you being attacked from all angles pulling earth beneath your feet? Is life trying to teach you something? Let me know in the comments section or by messaging me. I’d love to hear from you.
Oh, before we go separate ways, enjoy this video:
I have enjoyed my time by the ocean and am thankful for all the lessons it has taught me. I hope you enjoyed reading this post and found it beneficial to you or someone you love. Before we go separate ways, make sure to share this post and subscribe so I can connect with you and notify you of future content. Bye for now!