We’ve all been thrown into this ocean. Some are thrown into boats already prepared for them. But most of us fall into the ocean’s depths and are forced to swim up to a surface we have no idea about. A few even sink before they can do even that. A few drown.

As we wade upon the ocean’s surface, we learn quite quickly of the boats. We dream of what it would be like to be able to coast through life on the surface and not have to spend so much time wading, stroking and taking the breaths needed when the ocean’s currents are just too much work.

The ocean is not always peaceful. It is cruel and unyielding. It contains so many different types of life that don’t always swim together. Some of that life never come together at all. Some feed. Some seclude themselves. Some will only swim within their own school of fish. It’s how the ocean works. The ultimate ebb and flow.

We could try and change it. Purge the ocean of what doesn’t work. Fish out the things we don’t like, but that’s the things with trying to control the waves. They’ll eventually erode away.

So when the ocean becomes cruel, when the waves come crashing down, or when we are just so tired of swimming, we can either sink or we can swim. When we sink, and we all do at some point, even those in boats, do we allow ourselves to sink beneath the depths of the ocean? Some of us will be lucky enough to have proficient swimmers in our lives to keep us afloat. Some of us do not. Willpower, strength and determination play a huge role in our proficiency. Are we convinced we need others to save us? Or do we save ourselves?

More commonly than any of us will ever know, in most cases, we will need to swim for ourselves. We will not find our own boat. We will be helpless to the tides and the currents. Some of us will want to sink. It’d be easier to drown than spend each swimming moment with aching arms and aching legs. It shouldn’t be this heard to take a simple breath. We could just sink. We could just drown. The calm to all the ebb and flow from this churning whirlpool we call the ocean…

Please, don’t drown. Please? I’m swimming alone here. I’ve chosen to fight my way up to the surface. My arms hurt. My legs are so sore. I’m so tired of being beaten around in the undertow. Even though it is going to be me that gets me back up to that breath that I need, I see you swimming beside me. I see you struggling, too. We can’t help each other. We want too. I know I do, but I can’t right now. I need to swim. I need to take that deep inhale of air. I can see the others sinking. So many. So so many. Don’t join them, please.

When I break the surface, I want us to be there together when we exhale.

Swim when life’s an ocean.