World Oceans Day — The Deep and the Steady

Today is World Oceans Day. And I’ve been thinking about the ocean as a metaphor this morning, because I’m that kind of person and it’s a Monday, which is the right time for thinking about large bodies of water.

Here’s what strikes me about the ocean: the surface is where all the drama is. The waves, the storms, the foam and churn. And then just below that — even a few feet down — things get remarkably still. The deeper you go, the quieter it gets. The deepest parts are ancient and undisturbed and completely indifferent to whatever is happening on top.

I think people work a little like that. There’s a surface where the weather happens — the moods, the reactions, the daily drama. And there’s a deeper part that’s steadier. Older. More reliable than the surface suggests.

On a busy Monday, try going a little deeper. Access the still part. Start from there instead of from the surface churn.

Go a little deeper than the surface today. The still part is always there.

What helps you access the calmer, steadier part of yourself when the surface is choppy?