I was at the beach last week with my friends and one of the younger gals went out into the water. The waves were pretty big and I was kind of keeping an eye on her. With every wave she dove under she would pop back up further and further north from where she had started and where I stood. She couldn't feel it but there was a rip current pulling her up and away from shore. If she had just glanced back to where I was standing she could have seen how far she had been swept away. All she would have had to do is put her feet down, turn back and start intentionally moving against the current to get back in calmer water.
The scenario was a picture of something I'd been thinking about for a few days before.
Almost every morning before I open my eyes I lay there for a minute thinking about coffee, but also about how I want the day to go. Not really about what I need to do but more about The Who I want to be... my attitude, my outlook, my efficiency, etc. Usually at some point later in the day I realize that I've gotten off course and have drifted from my original intent.
Steve and I had a little sit down with our kids a couple of weeks ago to check in and revisit some family expectations. We also encouraged them to set some sights on where they wanted to go in life. I tried to illustrate to them that unless they were either anchored and engaged with something solid or they were intentionally moving toward their goal, then more likely than not they would be caught up and moved by the direction of the current around them. I also pointed out that it was 1) important to be aware that there is always a current moving and 2) you need to, at least have a sense of the direction it is going.
Whenever I flip on the news or check in on social media, I can almost immediately feel the current. The Current is what is happening right now, all around us, locally, nationally, globally. Currently.
HOW QUICKLY I CAN BE CAUGHT UP IN THAT CURRENT!
If I haven't anchored myself to Something strong, solid and immovable or I am not intentionally moving in active effort toward an ideal, I am going to be swept up and become a part of that momentum and force moving around me. It is inevitable . The Current will take me, my thoughts, my attitudes, my emotions, my words and sweep me up in the direction it is moving.
There is a strong and negative Current moving around us. It's direction is changing almost daily. Somedays it is pulling us toward Fear. Somedays it moves us toward anger, division, sadness, or despair... toward hopelessness. All you have to do is flip on the news to check the Current (And each network has a current pulling in a different direction too!)
As you move out into the waters of your day check the direction of the current around you and set the course for where you want to go... who you want to be. Keep checking back to make sure you haven't drifted off course. Move with mindful, intentional and active effort, against current if necessary, to get where you want to go. And always stay close to that strong, solid and immovable Anchor.
