This time last year, I read Joseph Conrad's Shadowline. Conrad uses the metaphor of the captain who's out at sea facing the elements to capture the protagonist's transition from early youth to adulthood. In many ways, this novella was quite foreboding of the year that was to come.
2014 wasn't a very jolly year; it threw at me all kinds of curved balls in both my professional and personal life. I won't go into the details but trust me, it kicked me in the ass.
In the past, I would have repudiated this annus horribilis; I would have felt vindicated by the mere fact that 2014 was coming to a close and welcomed the new year with arms wide open. But then we grow up.
The fact is that at this time of my life, I find myself crossing that metaphorical shadowline. This time is cast with treacherous storms that are still waiting to happen. This is adulthood. I've just stepped past that invisible line so I'm still figuring it all out. However, what I do know is that when I was confronted with what felt insurmountable, I was able to withstand it and grow. And it still wasn't anywhere close to the trials that people I know had to endure this year. This is only the beginning of this new period and I'm fully aware of it.
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| Wanderer above the sea of fog by Caspar David Friedrich |
Yesterday, I spent New Year's Eve with my loved ones, but I ended up going home early because I wasn't feeling so well. Annus horribilis I'd be tempted to say. But as I laid in my bed all bundled up, listening to the ships' horns welcoming the new year from afar, I couldn't but feel grateful for 2014. It has been a tough teacher indeed but this is only the first of the many challenging years that lie ahead. 2014 has prepared the ground. Bring it on 2015.
Joe, I love your use of Shadowline to think about the transitions this year has brought. What does amaze me about you is that you are able to manage these trials with a smile on your face and a calm spirit to confront the day. I really enjoyed reading Shadowline back in the day as well because it made me think about how I too confront the elements thrown at me by life. As I was trying to go back and find a few quotes that stood out to me, I was reminded of the line that Conrad mentions in the book: "One must not make too much of anything in life, good or bad.” I think that this line really sums up how we need to face the elements. When it is a bright sunny day and the sails are taking us where we want to go, we should bask in the ease without craving it. When we hit that storm and it seems like the ship is going down, we should not fight the fear. As we have seen the good and the bad will come on their own, we just need to be ready to handle them. Thanks for making me think and also return to the ideas of this book. I am looking forward to sharing the journey of 2015 with you.
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