Getting trapped!

While at the beach the other day, during three hours, the high tide had set in and the sea covered the entire beach leaving just the pavement for the visitors. The children were displaced the narrow sand bed where they were immersed in making designs and castles in the sand.

The stones laid on the beach to present further sea erosion captured my attention with water filling the middle of the enclosed ares of the beach. With water receding, two logs of wood were seen floating, battered by with each hight tide that struck the stones. 

The wooden logs moved their positions, floated and settled on the sand bed. But they remained moving around in that small space.  For over the next two hours, the logs of wood drifted between the open space in the centre of the pool of water and getting stuck between the stones.This sight of the wooden logs being moved by the waters and remaining trapped held my attention.

I have had occasions of getting into unfortunate situations on a few occasion in the recent years. I was not sure whether I got into those positions because of wrong choices or decisions or the situations under which I was placed were unforeseen. Having felt trapped, I felt constrained, compelled and contained. I did loose my patience and hope. The time in such a restrained setting turned into a redeeming experience. They turned out to be a good pause to reflect and ponder on matters soberly. Later on, when the situations eased I realised how even that season of getting trapped had a purpose to bring into focus a significant experience that was needed to move me into being more wholistic and realistic. 

I listen to stories of families who feel trapped by circumstances. The situation can be marital discord, children drifting from being focussed in their studies, financial stress, health related difficulties, etc. I recall the experiences of some families who patiently endured and resiliently resisted from giving up, even in the midst of feeling entrapped by difficult experiences. 

The story of the logs of wood would be different when the high tide fully covers the barrier of stones on the beach. The following pictures below show the fate of wooden logs trapped when the full tide fills the beach. They would be lifted from their trap and be placed on the stones, hopefully to move back into the water at an appropriate time. 

None of us should fear that we would remain trapped longer than we ought to. We would be made to stay only as long as we are needed to  have a learning experience that would enrich and enlarge our lives!

Being trapped is a fearful experience, but it is often redeeming experience with a turning point in our journey to make living even more abundant!

We are pilgrims on a journey. To be at a cross road is no reason to feel disheartened; it can be a liberating experience!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)