F.L.O.A.T. O.N.

Hi, my name is Tracy, and I’m an Aquarius…just kidding. I know it’s been a minute, so please forgive me; I will do better with sharing my words and my thoughts with you all. But ya’ll listen….I almost drowned (again)! Within seconds, my life flashed before my eyes, until I was rescued by two onlookers who had to react quickly to save me. Let me back up a little….I might be exaggerating, so here’s the real deal.

Recently, some friends and I were having some bonding time around the pool. I am not a swimmer, but it’s still on my bucket list. Because of my limitations in the water, I made sure to hover in an area where I could stand without the water covering my head. I’m only a little over 5 ft tall and touching the ground still gave me the feeling of being in control.

After a few hours in the pool, I finally relaxed into an inflatable at the urging of my friends, but I relaxed so much that I did not realize I had drifted to the center of the pool. When I opened my eyes and realized where I was, I screamed bloody murder because my feet could not touch the pool bottom. I fought and fought (yes I looked as ridiculous as this sounds as I continued to fight air) to make my feet reach the bottom, but because I continued to float in the inflatable, I couldn’t reach. Read that again….I was STILL FLOATING. I was still floating, while screaming at the top of my lungs, “come get me, I can’t touch the ground”. After the sudden outburst startled my friends (and before they fell out laughing), one grabbed the handle of the unicorn (yes, I was floating in a unicorn) and pushed me back to the edge where I hovered in my “safe” space.

I confess, I am a bit dramatic and this entire scene was hysterical; they laughed at me, I laughed at me, it was a mess. In the midst of laughter, one friend said, “you screamed out like a child who was playing just fine until they looked up & realized their mother was gone…you were in sheer panic mode”. The other echoed her sentiment, “you panicked, but you were still floating, you were never in danger, you freaked yourself out”

Later on that evening, once I was home, I had to allow the symbolism of the day’s antics to digest. You know there’s always a lesson, even in the little things. My feet weren’t on the ground, but I was safe. It never dawned on me (in that moment) that I would have put myself in a position to drown if I were able to touch the ground, because at that point, the depth of the water surpassed my height. I was removed from my comfort zone, and when I discovered my displacement, I immediately retreated back to what I deemed to be comfortable; even though I was relaxed and in paradise while I was floating. Sometimes what comforts us is in fact suffocating us. There’s no progress in retreating. How many times in our lives have we retreated to what’s “comfortable” or “safe” because we fear the unknown. This is a prime example of how fear can stifle, stop, and stagnate us. Fear can bring our lives to a screeching halt….if we allow it. Sheeed, in my mind, I’d already drowned and I wasn’t any where near swallowing a drop of water.

I must admit, I have allowed fear of the unknown to paralyze me many times, even outside of the pool, and one thing I know for sure is that there’s no valor in sprinting backwards. Sometimes we have to let go and trust that we are armed with what we need to go forward (our gifts, our abilities, His blessings, His protection). You have to trust more than your reflection, because if there’s a streak in your mirror, it will distort your vision. See beyond what’s there…that’s faith. Trust, have no fear, and keep a little bit of faith in your back pocket, or your Fannie pack (since they seem to be coming back in style😳)!!!

I’m a work in progress, and I encourage you (as well as myself) to FLOAT ON….Fearlessly Leap Onward to Ascend, Transcend, & Occupy your Next!!!!! Your next is whatever you want it to be.  It’s your race, RISE UP and WIN on your own terms!  Even if it’s a baby step, it’s a step in the right direction.  That’s how you all got this blog today, I took one small step for Tracy-Kind.  Let’s keep on taking steps.  Enjoy the climb!

Song Reference:  Win-Brian McKnight

Song Reference:  Rise Up-Andra Day