As I sat on the dock of a large lake a few weeks ago, I found myself mesmerized by a windsurfer out on the water. He had an amazing ability to steer and maneuver, even though the waves were choppy and the wind was erratic. Somehow, in the midst of these external forces, the young man was able to stay the course and move his craft fluidly in whatever direction he chose. It was as though he was engaged in a dance with both the wind and the water. What impressed me the most was the surfer’s response to the wind…instead of turning away from it and trying to position himself so the wind would be at his back, he did the opposite. He leaned IN to the wind. Every adjustment and action on his part kept him leaning toward the resistance, as opposed to moving away from it. This intrigued me…
I think it’s like that in life. Too often, we try to turn away from the wind. We want the wind blowing at our backs and we do what we can to avoid resistance. But as I watched the surfer on the lake, I realized that his movement was the smoothest and most controlled when he leaned in to the wind. What if our security and direction actually come from leaning in to the wind instead of running from it? What if trying to turn away from the storm actually makes it harder to stay the course? If you try to turn away from the wind and go in the opposite direction, it’s more likely that the wind will overtake you and blow you over. However, turning toward the wind, planting your feet firmly on the ground, and LEANING IN may just provide the security and stability you need to move in the right direction.
Wanda Jeffcoat, MS, NCC, CCTP