The Buoyancy of Being

In the intertidal zones of the tropics, certain species of mangrove seedlings drift for months in the open ocean, their survival dependent entirely on their ability to remain buoyant until they find a patch of silt to call home. There is no urgency in their movement; they simply trust the current to carry them toward the nutrient-rich mud. We often mistake this kind of drifting for aimlessness, yet it is a profound form of patience. Humans, by contrast, are obsessed with the anchor. We fear the drift, believing that if we are not tethered to a schedule or a destination, we are lost. But perhaps there is a wisdom in letting the water dictate the pace, in finding a state of suspension where the only requirement is to stay afloat and remain open to the tide. When did we decide that arriving was more important than the simple, rhythmic act of existing in the flow? What if we allowed ourselves to be carried by the current instead of fighting against it?

Ryszard Wierzbicki has captured this exact sense of unhurried grace in his image titled Lazi Girls. It is a beautiful reminder of how life unfolds when we stop trying to steer the ship. Does this scene make you want to let go of your own anchor for a while?