Anchors I was privileged enough to fish the 42nd Pensacola International Billfish Tournament. We didn’t place, but had a lot of fun. We landed three dolphin, a barracuda, a daggertooth (who jumped into the boat and scared the begeezus out of me), and a yellowfin tuna. It was a rough trip with two full days of fishing and two nights out at sea. We were 170 miles out in over 9,000 feet of water. Exhausted from fishing all day, we had to set up for a night in the deep water. With almost two miles of ocean beneath us, there was no way to anchor in the traditional sense. Instead, we had to use a “sea anchor” which amounted to an underwater parachute. It minimized our drift and allowed us a few hours of sleep before the water got super rough. After I regained my land legs, and the world stopped rocking from side to side, I began to consider that whole anchor issue. You only use and anchor when you don’t want to move. In this case, slowing down our movement would have to suffice. There are lots of times in life we need anchors to help us keep from drifting and to keeps us grounded. When we have been overtaken by a rough day on the seas or find ourselves in deep water, we need to find a suitable anchor. When we are on the go, we don’t want things to tie us down, but when the day comes to an end, we usually need to anchor up. Consider the following anchors in life: 1) Family: When I have been in the deep water, family has always been there for me. They may not be able to stop my drifting, but they always keep me safer than if I were on my own. Our children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, dogs, and even cats can be great stabilizers in the rough waters of life. Anchors always apply a tension from the opposite direction your momentum is taking you and sometimes that tension in family takes on names like dysfunction. However, that resistance can help you make better decisions and clarify your direction and recheck your heading. Looking back at my life, I am fortunate that I wasn’t always set free for a future I had envisioned. What seemed like dead weight at the time, was actually a healthy anchor for my life. If you love your family, listen to them. 2) Faith: One of the strongest anchors in life is often found in faith. When the world is spinning and rocking and the winds of change seem to be blowing the hardest, having a firm faith can keep you on grounded. Sometimes, we need to have something or someone to believe in. We need to know that the storm will pass and that there really is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Faith helps us discover purpose and offers hope through the dark nights at sea. The tension of faith and reason keeps us from drifting too far in either direction. Like my mama used to say, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.” Real faith recognizes the tension between the reality of our situation with the possibility of what can be. Faith helps us balance a life of knowing and unknowing. It helps us when we start to drift through the deep waters of life. 3) Community: Finding your place in a community of others is one of the greatest anchors in life and this is one of the best communities to tie up to. Seeing the kids carry the fish to the scales and watching the bystanders cheer on each boat was simply inspiring. This coastal community offers a place for folks who have found life at sea, but need to a home on the shore. This community loves others with southern hospitality and reaches out with arms longer than LeBron James. If you have been drifting through life, let the beach community give you a home. If you haven’t gotten plugged into the community, then find a place and tie up for a while. Whether it is athletics, recreation, business, religion, or a combination, there is a place for you in this great community. I invite you to consider your life this week. Are you drifting through life? Are you so far out in deep waters that you don’t know how to stop? Consider your anchors; they are closer than you think. Love one. Love another. Jack
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 13:17:50 +0000
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