We found ourselves high and dry on a mud bank in Charleston Harbor. Anyone boating around an unfamiliar area will realize the importance of knowing depth. While my friends and I were very familiar with the waters, we had simply mixed up two water markers in the fading light of the evening. We endeavored to push the boat off but saw quickly that we were too far up in the shallows. The receding tide was making matters worse, and we began to prepare ourselves to wait for hours into the night. The boat was registered with Sea Tow, and we planned to call later to pull us off, but at that moment, we were stuck.
The tide had dropped enough to strand us on dry land. We had already endured a long day, and the night began to look increasingly wearisome. I stood and watched the dark sky being lit up by the moon in the middle of a harbor I knew so well. Never before had I found myself in my current position, and I enjoyed a different perspective of this place.
As the tide continued to fall, a strip of land following the coast arose, and pointed into the harbor towards another small island. I decided to use my free time to walk and venture into the night. One of my friends followed, and we strolled on without much sense of time. Before we realized how long had passed, we had covered a great distance of the newborn land, stepping carefully over many shells.
When we recognized a voice calling out as one of my friends who had remained at the boat, we doubled back the way we came. The moon was exceptionally bright and lit our journey across the appearing land bridge. Apparently they had called Sea Tow and were being pulled off at that moment when they realized we weren’t there. They were a bit upset that we had just left, but we made it back in time, and luckily all was fine. After ample work, the boat slid into deeper water. We climbed aboard and rode home.
Despite our confusion in getting the boat stuck, the end goal was clear — become un-stuck. While I chose to step back and allowed time to pass until the water rose again, those who stayed behind on the boat prioritized finding a solution.
Exploration can often be equally as productive as problem solving. Taking advantage of the opportunities at hand can be transformative in a positive way and lead to new experiences. But it is important to discern what may help or hinder you in the long run. I ventured out far and away from the group, rather than staying reasonably close to where our future salvation lay. So although I had a good time, it would have been more helpful to everyone to stay near the boat. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the unexpected, but it’s important to keep the end goal in mind.
I had wanted to best utilize my time in these novel surroundings. Like a daydream, my wandering drew focus, and I chose to attend only to it. I’m glad of that unconscious decision to drift away, but within it I see a relationship between other aspects of life that sometimes deserve more attentiveness. Sometimes, I need to deliberately work on things rather than letting them pass. Keeping track and staying on top of goals is important.
For some, a career directly following graduation is a critical goal, and many hours are spent brainstorming, writing, interviewing, etc., to reach it. For others, a less professional plan fills the horizon. Regardless of our path, most people have some experience setting productive goals and striving to attain them. But taking moments to reflect and appreciate the beauty of a familiar harbor, for instance, does the mind and soul some good.
Taking stock of the world around you and your position within it can help illuminate a good direction to head. Moments of peace and wandering can complement the more cut and dry aspects of life. The key is not to become carried away with the trivialities. Interspersing those moments among more fruitful labors will lead to a fulfilling life. Leave the blinders off, and take the journey you happen upon, as long as it’s going somewhere.
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