nothing was different...(p.25)
“I to the world am like a drop of water
That in the ocean seeks another drop…”
-William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors
What do you do when life changes, when one chapter closes and you are about to begin the next?
In those big moments of life, I somehow find myself looking outside my window, or sitting by the ocean, or gazing up at the clouds.
I look outward…I unknowingly search for direction or comfort in feeling a part of this vast, great world. But what surprisingly consoles me the most is just how small I feel. I am one grain of salt in the salty sea... I am one cloud across the sky...I am one lit window in a city of millions. And this somehow soothes me.
I ask as I look out, "Don't you know what just happened?" "Can't you see how my life just changed?"
They smile back, pat me on the shoulder, and say, "life is bigger than your view."
And then it happens, I feel this disconnect, this zooming out, and then a peace that washes over me. I can't quite explain it, but my view changes. I see more, like changing my 90mm lens for my 28.
I can't tell you how this comforts me, but it does.
When I was little, I sat on my swingset, stared at the clouds, and watched the planes go by. I would imagine who was on the plane and where they were going. I knew the world was big even then, though I had never ventured farther than a few hours from home. And it left me with this anticipation and excitement of all the possibilities. Nothing was different, but a spark was lit.
I have found myself by the ocean when a chapter closed. The sound of the waves, the horizon which was the water's only container, felt so big, so vast, and it held me at that moment. That's when the peace drifted in. Nothing was different, but everything changed.
I recently found myself looking out a window as a beautiful chapter closed, and a new one was beginning. I felt those same questions, "Don't you know what just happened?" The lit windows in the skyline looked back at me and winked, "you are not alone; we have all walked our own similar paths." And there it was, that peace. Nothing was different except me.
Do you have similar experiences? I must think that you do.
Our lives are made of chapters. There's no escaping endings or beginnings. My wish for you…and me is that we see the beauty in each one and feel supported by something far more significant than ourselves.
And remember, nothing needs to be different for our thoughts to change, except our view. ❤️
