So I was listening to the Pocahontas soundtrack today (because I am a grown-ass adult and that score is fantastic), and this line really stuck out to me. It's such a beautiful image.
I've lived my whole life near the ocean. The ocean is giant and powerful. It is, at the same time, beautiful and overwhelming.
When I was small, my cousins and I used to dive into the waves as they crashed over us. Usually, we would pop up like seals on the other side. Sometimes, the wave would be too strong and somersault you. There's nothing scarier than being stuck under the surface, when you can't tell which way is up and which way is down, and all you can feel is the rush of all that water pushing you away from where you need to be.
They say if you ever get caught in a rip current, you should go with it. If you try to fight it, you will only waste your energy and put yourself at greater risk for drowning.
We spend so much of our lives looking for answers and solutions. I know I personally have always struggled with this. I hate not knowing what the outcome will be. But I've come to realize that answers are not always achievable, and not always necessary. Instead of exhausting yourself searching for an answer, just let it happen to you. Let it break upon you. Yes, there is power in controlling your situation, but there is a strong inner power that comes from being able to say, "I don't know what will happen next, but I know that it is meant for me, and that I can handle it." Another word for it is fortitude. A ship that sails on through the storm, a barrier that stands tall through times of war.
The next line in the song is, "Listen with your heart; you will understand." Yes, it's a typical cheesy Disney song. And yet, there's a huge kernel of truth there. There are so many circumstances and changes that don't make any logical sense. Even though we've advanced scientifically and otherwise as a society, we still want things that, from the outside, look crazy. Sometimes, we can't understand why we lose our job, why we aren't succeeding in an area that we thought we were supposed to pursue, but if you take the time to listen rather than rushing to complete the race, you can find the answers to those questions. Sometimes the answers will be scary, incomplete, or frustrating. Sometimes they will seem like nonsense. Sometimes the answer will be no answer at all.
I truly think that one of the best things we can do when we feel overwhelmed or confused is to take a step back and stop fighting. Let it break upon you, and you will understand.
