Drifting in the Sea of Change

Floating in the deep water is a message in a bottle. Hoping to reach its destination. Perhaps it carries a message of love or unrequited romance. It may hold a message of a stranded person on a deserted island. Possibly a shipwrecked crew hoping their SOS washes ashore and help arrives.

One of the oldest messages in a bottle was written by Chunosuke Matsuyama, a Japanese seaman, who was shipwrecked with his 48 shipmates. Matsuyama carved a distress message on coconut wood, placed it in a bottle and tossed it into the South Pacific waters in 1784. The SOS message in that bottle was found in 1935. Matsuyama and his shipmates perished at sea.

Messages in bottles go on ambiguous adventures across the watery miles. They carry wishes and dreams, confessions, aspirations, and fears. They carry the hope to be found, to be read and remembered for all time.

One may not necessarily write a message in a bottle today and throw it into an ocean, thus feeling they are contributing to water pollution. Yet, if you could write your own private message, solely for yourself, what would it say? Would it reflect your goals, dreams and your purpose in this life? Would it reflect your desire for true change, motivation and defining moments? Would it contain your personal mission statement?

We can write our own message in a bottle, like a time capsule, for our own journey. It can be used to redirect us back to our purpose and our motivation. It can remind us to be in control of our future. To be true to ourselves. It can remind us not to allow others to limit our own outcomes.

True change comes from a deep desire to step outside of your comfort zone. Take a chance for redefining yourself, for setting new goals, and for being committed to your own journey.

Keep checking the beaches of your life. You may find your own message in a bottle.