Have Courage to Lose Sight of the Shore
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”
– William Faulkner
The shore is order, the visible, the safe, the solid, the secure... it is terra firma. It is those things you rely upon to steady yourself in the face of the staggering mysteries and countless challenges which abound in this life. It is good we have solid earth to stand upon and take nourishment from, communities to draw upon, houses to live within, and so forth.
The horizon lies at the very edge of the visible, it is potential, it is the threshold of the unknown, the gateway into another realm.
And so to lose sight of the shore suggests a sacrifice of stability, a loss of order, a certain degree of surrender to chaos and the unknown.
Chaos and order, the yin and yang, the light and dark, the firm and yielding, the masculine and feminine, the inhale and exhale, the ebb and flow... they balance each other.
Somewhere in between, in this dance of opposites, we find the magic we need to develop and to thrive, to discover who we are and where we are.
If you are lost at sea, you will want nothing else but to sight the shore... for you there will be no transformation without a return to stability.
However, if you are firmly organized in your position on shore, perhaps a bit of the unknown is just what you need... perhaps you need to lose sight of what brings you stability, before you can move towards new horizons.
In either case, you will need courage to guide you.
Courage is from the heart. Move from that center.
courage (n.) c. 1300, from Old French corage
–from the: Online Etymology Dictionary
"heart, innermost feelings; temper," from Vulgar Latin *coraticum (source of Italian coraggio, Spanish coraje), from Latin cor "heart". Words for "heart" also commonly are metaphors for inner strength. In Middle English, used broadly for "what is in one's mind or thoughts," hence "bravery," but also "wrath, pride, confidence, lustiness," or any sort of inclination. Replaced Old English ellen, which also meant "zeal, strength."
For me... I've spent a lifetime flirting with chaos, and finding stability has proven to be a majorly transformative effort, but I still cherish losing sight of the shore, I still revel in the mystery of an unknown path, an uncertain outcome. To me, there is no better way to invite a touch of providence into one's life, than to let go of outcomes, and step into the unknown.
May you know the balance of order and chaos, may you listen for that which you need, and may they guide you on your journey through the unfathomable depths of this life.
Peace, and @lovejoy
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I love the quote, your unpacking of it, and the accompanying images, @lovejoy.
For me, there are cycles (every 7 years or so) of order and stability, alternating like dancers. My last radical move of leaving the shore, and setting out to sea, was immigrating from my Home, Egypt, and everything I knew (family, friends, job) to start a new life in the USA.
Mysteriously, it worked, because I suspected I was following some sort of inner imperative... (To mix metaphors, I think of this Zen proverb: Leap and the Net will appear). Consulting with a numerologist, who was a neighbor, he echoed this hunch of mine and said that I was in my hermit/research phase, accumulating information, deepening myself, before my next leap...
Wherever that might be, wherever it may take me! Stay safe, and good to have you back :)
Thanks for sharing your reflections on this theme Yahia! I really appreciate your musings. "Leap and the net will appear" is such a wonderful proverb, and absolutely what I was getting at. I think I'm just coming out of a hermitage of sorts and headed for another series of radical moves... i've been saying that for a while now, ;) but it's becoming truer with each passing foray into the unknown. Bless! b
Happy reflections resonated, kindred spirit. There is a magic to timing, when everything that is good for us is made easy... I hope your next move is smooth and take places when it's meant to be. Sending good vibes your way
_/|\_Let go of the edge and float down that river! Really nice message especially that part at the end. The best description yet of what this space really is. (=^x^=)
This is perfect. Very nicely done!
Thank you so much amigo! That means a lot! :)
I really liked what you express in this post, no doubt people always focus on the safe things and do not go out in search of an adventure, something that not only transformed them completely into better people but the experience of that way of the mysterious will be a great experience that helps a lot in our transformation. Being on the shore for some is great, but there comes a time when you want something in your life to change and that is when you have to venture into the unknown, even if it is a bit difficult to assimilate as all people go to the insurance. I believe that I always go much further along the shore looking for new objectives and learning from each trip as I sail along the sea
The article feels like a movie with some background lines. The pictures are so perfect to the lines written here.
Inspiring !! thanks for sharing :))
Awww, thanks! That's so great to hear since I tend to think very visually, even cinematically, most days. :)
God... I love this so so captivating
Thanks very much! =)
I have never heard of them. Are they good?
In all things, we should seek to break out from the mundane, the softness of pillow cushions that in the end are just chains limiting our goals , our reach. Too many at times, the comfort of a particular place has stopped persons from achieving greater goals.
The open oceans may look like it has just sharks waiting to attack, but finding a footing in unfriendly territories allow for a greater chance at success.
A bit of the unknown is what we really need. <3
In reality I really liked the content and the deep meaning of the title
Thanks for your comment... I just started out with photos to share, but I had to say something. :)
Well share well told bro
I've had similar insights when in meditation, and during ayahuasca ceremonies. Letting go of our comfort zones and who we think we are is necessary for transformation to occur. Also, it's awesome how you broke down the word courage and it's link to the heart.
I really love this post. I have always believed that to achieve a new thing, you must first learn to change old ways of doing things. New adventures calls risks, sacrifice and sometimes a new set of methodology to effect a change.