The Tide Always Comes In.

The beach and ocean has always been a place of peace, calm, and clarity for me. I grew up in Central Florida and the closest beach was a little less than an hour away so it was an easy place to get to often. For several years New Smyrna Beach was where you’d find me and my brother most Sunday afternoons. Even as a middle schooler, full of the typical angst you find at that age, sitting and watching the waves or walking on the shore was one of the few places where my brain just…calmed. I know now there’s a lot of science behind that, which you’re welcome to dig into and read about here, but at the time, I just know it helped so much with the anxiety I experienced, even as a teenager. 

As someone who has learned to live with and manage (mostly well-ish) an anxious brain, there’s a statement that has resonated so deeply with me the last few years. I honestly can’t remember where I heard or read it and I wish I could so I give whoever the credit they deserve. As a grown adult who is married, parenting two kids, and managing a lot in this life, grounding statements like the one I’m sharing with you today are so helpful to me. It’s nothing revolutionary and it’s so simple…but it’s in the simplicity that I find the calm and the beauty of it. 

The tide always comes in.

That’s it. That’s the whole plot. When I am struggling the most and feel like I am literally drowning in responsibility, tasks, the weight of leadership, advocating, navigating grief, and the list can go on - this statement grounds me so much. It’s the reminder that no matter what, the tide always comes in. There is still order to be found in this life, as disordered as it may feel at times. The tides are controlled by the sun and the moon and the whole earth revolving thing that when we really stop and consider that whole scientific concept can make you feel a little small, in a good way. That some of the “stuff” that is causing all this anxiety really is just stuff. It doesn’t matter. Because in the moment where I feel like I’m drowning, I know the wave  of stress and worry will ebb and the pressure will ease, just like the waves pounding on the shore.  

Another part of why that statement resonates so deeply with me comes from Jeremiah 5:22 (in the Bible, pick your version) and I’m paraphrasing here but the prophet Jeremiah writes that the Lord says to the people (and I am not a theologian so a lot of grace is appreciated here): “I made the sand a boundary for the sea, a barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they won’t ultimately prevail.” While I currently struggle a lot with the “big C Church” and how people who say they follow Jesus are acting, my faith in Jesus is one of the anchors in my life. Jesus’ life and how He loved others continues to be my safe harbor and that will always ring true for me. The tide still comes in and the sand is still a barrier that ultimately provides safety to those on its shores. In 2022 I got a tattoo of a starfish, which is a story for another day, but one of the things I now love about it is the sand all around it. In its’ own way, the grains of sand remind me that whatever I’m feeling will pass and I’ll be okay. The tide always comes in.

Maybe you’re a bit like me at times and run on the anxious side of life - where you’re feeling pulled under by the waves of life and a bit like you’re drowning. Here’s the best thing I can give you. 

Place your feet firmly on the ground. 

Breathe. 

Look at the horizon. 

And remind yourself that the tide always comes in.

Love you, mean it, friends. 

P.S. You can find the phone wallpaper I made with “The tide always comes in” over in my Etsy shop!