Then she caught sight of her husband, John. She was surprised to see that he was only a few meters away. He’d been right there all along. She could see that he was also struggling in the stormy sea. He too was exhausted and just like her he was striving to stay afloat but the life was going out of his eyes and she knew he was losing the battle.
They swam towards each other, reaching out and connecting at last. Their embrace felt warm and comforting and with that connection they felt the strength of being together. They were still in the cold, stormy ocean but now they were able to stay afloat by supporting each other.
As they embraced, battling the elements that were assaulting them, they looked around and as they did so they noticed an empty rowing boat bobbing in the stormy ocean only a short distance away. Swimming to this beacon of hope John was able to help Julie climb into it and then Julie was able to reach down to pull John up. In the boat they felt the immense, sweet relief of security and safety from the rough sea. Not a lot, but enough to make the difference that they desperately needed.
In the boat they were able to work together to row towards the glimmer of sunshine they could see in the distance poking through the heavy dark clouds. When Julie was tired John took the oars and when John needed to rest Julie was able to row so they continued moving forward. In this way, working collectively and supporting each other they made real progress towards where they needed to go, together.
Before long the storm blew itself out and the stormy water that had threatened to engulf them became calm and tranquil. The dark clouds and biting wind gave way to sunshine and blue skies with the sounds of birds calling above.
Working together, they had rowed through the storm to find sunshine, safety and security. They could both enjoy the feeling of relief, accomplishment and success. Surviving this arduous experience meant they were much stronger for weathering the storm together.
Often when we find ourselves battling a situation, where we feel alone, it is not easy to see how we will ever find a way out.
In these difficult times we might feel the people closest to us are part of the problem but by reaching out
and connecting we find that we share so much more and together a solution can be found.
By expressing our vulnerabilities, connecting with others, working together, supporting those around us and being supported we are capable of achieving what we thought was impossible. We also expand our horizons to achieve so much more in the future ahead.
