TwoCents | The Old Man and the Sea

I stood there pondering with a smirk on my face. Why is he so slow but so skilled? He waited patiently for his catch, while I was furious for applying all the steps in the fishing playbook without any result. What irritated me the most was the calm that surrounded the old man. He made it look like it was nothing. At least show a bit of frustration so we could all bond over that pain! He didn't flinch. Even when the storm came, he seemed so relaxed. At one point, I just had to confront him for his stillness, and I asked him why with my mouth and eyes. His exact words were "expect adversity, embrace the storm, and become one with the sea," and then I rudely interrupted him. I left the pep talk too early, I guess. A few minutes later, I felt a pull, and my eyes lightened like the sunset. I had finally made a catch. My first fish! Everyone seemed happy for me, and boom, my eyes, and the old man's eyes crossed paths. He still had that poker face, and he winked at me. That wink caused a mental SWERVE, which made everything clear. His words echoed in the chambers of my mind, and my heart skipped. I think the Holy Book should have also asked us to study the sea and learn from it! Life is in many ways like the sea. The uncertainties are unlimited, and the outcome of things is not always based on our actions and inactions. Sometimes we do everything right, but everything ends up wrong. In other cases, we somehow feel entitled to win because we didn't skip a step. "Morality doesn't guarantee victory, and good people also lose"—don't forget that. Sometimes the storm comes after the calm, or vice versa. It's safer to expect adversity and plan for it. However, "remember that life is better prepared than we are!" So yeah, embrace the storm because it is an advantage. Besides, "you don't learn to surf on still waters." The reality of life is that it could change in a second (either positively or negatively). "The old man is one with the sea."While experience is not exactly expertise, years on the road would teach you a few things about traffic signs. "Time reveals, light shines, and light blinds." Some of life's most valuable lessons become clear after a storm. It may have been sour for you, but it could be a template or a course for someone else. "Stand still and Ink your journeys" The sea is not the enemy, depending on what you see. Youthful zeal without knowledge is like wildfire.  #Swerve Learn Unlearn Relearn #LEarn

Other insights from Samuel Ibok