What the Ducks of Cedar Point Taught Me About Surviving Life's Storms

Deep thought moment: I’m snuggled warm in my truck, waiting on my last pickup of the day, the rain is turning to snow, the wind is howling, the wobbling ducks are tucking inward as they ride the shoreline waves of Cedar Point, and my mindful eyes are curious.

They're not hiding from the storm or fighting against the waves. They're simply drawing closer to themselves, finding their center, trusting their instinct to cuddle them safely. There's something profound in their ways of surrender. They're not giving up, they're giving in. They're in control of their reaction to the storm, instead of reacting in fear. They're releasing the tension and the anxiety, and resting in the strength of their inner wisdom.

Have we ever really considered how the movements of our soul are made known by the movements of our body? Are we that intrinsically aware of how our inner affects our outer? Or do we just float on the waves of thoughts, distractions and disappointments that rock us daily?

How often do we tuck inward, smothering ourselves with the gifted presence of our own wings, when the waves of life beat up against us? How often do we seek solace in our own inner warmth and comfort, looking within to find the peace we need?

We've been conditioned to look everywhere else first. We scroll through social media hoping someone else's highlight reel will inspire us. We buy things we don't need, thinking possessions will fill our emptiness. We seek validation from people who are too busy seeking their own to truly see us. We exhaust ourselves trying to be everything to everyone, forgetting that we're already everything we need to ourselves.

But what if the ducks have it right? What if the answer isn't in the endless searching, the constant reaching outward, the desperate grasping for something external to save us?

We’ve been led to believe that we're nothing, that we aren’t capable, that we’re dependent on an external source to “make” or “deliver” us. But we aren’t. All we need is already within us. All we yearn for is already inside us. All we are is already within us.

The storm that's about to pour hail on my windows is still there; in fact, it's getting darker and the winds are roaring, but those ducks are still there, still riding the waves with an almost meditative calm. They know something we've forgotten: that they were designed for this. Their feathers repel water, their bodies naturally float, and their instincts guide them to safety. They don't question their worthiness or ability to survive the storm; they simply trust in their inherent design.

You were created by love, in love, and for love. That means you are love. And what is love? It’s unconditional, it’s reassuring, its life-giving, it’s electrifying.

Once you understand the measure and magnitude of that love, you’ll fly with the same wings that created you, without needing reassurance from the outside.