“Salt is the cure for anything; be it Sweat, Tears or the Sea. ” – Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen)

 

 

A while back,  I was blessed with the opportunity to go Kayaking in Kuwait. It  was a really fun yet humbling experience.

The temperature must have been around a scorching 45°C (113 °F) , as is the norm for a Kuwaiti Summer.

Imagine a space shuttle whose rockets have already ignited for takeoff but gets stuck and can’t move upwards.  That’s what it felt like the second I removed my flip flops and stepped onto the sizzling sandy beach.

Eventually, the burning sensation from the soles of my feet was gradually replaced by an overall numbness.  I’m quite certain they felt numb only because they were half toasted by then.

In the distance, I could hear the ocean calling out to me with every passing blue wave. It was at this moment I decided to get into the water. Needless to say, it was one of the better decisions I’ve made in my life.

Amidst the heat and humidity, suddenly a gust of cool heavenly sea – breeze  passed me by. It was gentle, yet strong enough to rustle my hair.  Soon after that, a friend of mine showed up and we decided to embark on our adventure .

We paddled and raced each other towards the Kuwait Towers, one of the country’s most unique and picturesque landmarks.

A few selfies later, we realized that not only did we have to paddle back the same distance but we had to do it against the direction of the current. The rough waves that day didn’t exactly make matters any easier either.

It was a grueling task but we managed to make it back to the beach from where we set sail. The water there was much calmer. In fact it was so serene that we felt like we were floating on air.
I tried to stand up on my kayak as it drifted alongside the shoreline. Easier said than done and after a few failed attempts, I did it. It felt incredible to say the least!
And then, I had a mini epiphany. Trying to stand on a kayak moving on water showed me that  life is all about finding balance!

You see, even though I was moving and bobbing along with the waves on the kayak, I also had to stand very still at the same time.

If I put slightly more pressure on either foot, or if I had to lean towards either side; within the blink of an eye I’d find myself in the water.

Its the same with life. Achieving either extreme of any spectrum is easy, but finding that  sweet spot of balance and maintaining it; that my friends takes effort.
No one said it would be easy and even if everyone says it’s impossible; I’m here to tell you otherwise. If you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.

So go out there and achieve your dreams! No matter how far fetched they may seem. Work towards smashing your goals one little bit at time; keeping in mind that every one of those little bits do count in the end.

A single drop is enough to create vast multiple ripples!

But at the same time, don’t forget to take a break every now and then.  Stop by the beach, a park or any place that makes you feel peaceful so you can just relax and enjoy the moment.

Remember, Balance is key! =D