Oars
A Poem on the Power of Inner Strength and Courage
Today, I’m thinking about a conversation that changed me. I remember a friend whose energy could light up any room. He brought laughter and excitement wherever he went, making life feel brighter. But as substance abuse took hold, I watched that spark slowly fade, and it was painful to see.
After we talked, I felt stuck in my feelings. I wasn’t sure how to help him see that he needed professional support. I knew I had to act, because doing nothing felt wrong.
But he’s an adult, and it’s his life. That was the hardest part. He wanted to get better, but he just wouldn’t or couldn’t take the first step. Many people feel helpless when someone they care about is hurting. This poem comes from both his pain and mine. Substance abuse affects not only the person struggling, but also their family and friends.
But this poem isn’t only about substance abuse. It’s about the struggles we all go through. It’s for those times when life feels so incredibly overwhelming and we’re looking for a way forward.
People aren’t as weak as they feel when they are struggling. Even when we’re worn out and defeated, we still have the strength to fight. That’s where the idea of the boat came from. The boat and oars are tools already in us. They represent our ability to keep going, even when daunting and slow. Sometimes it’s just going to the grocery store or replying to a text message. That still matters; that’s still picking up an oar and taking action.
Feeling stuck doesn’t last forever. There’s always something we can do to move forward. Even a small step is progress, and that’s what counts. It’s not how far you go, but that you took the initiative to try and keep trying. Sometimes there might be a slip-up, and it feels like going back to the start, but that doesn’t mean complete failure. It means the process is messy, natural, and human.
Moving forward isn’t always a straight path; sometimes it’s uneven or even backward. What matters is that we keep getting up, trying, and moving.
When I refer to staying on the shore, I mean the place where fear and doubt keep us stuck. It can feel safer because it’s familiar, but nothing changes if you stay in one spot. It isn’t really living if we just exist day in and day out because we are afraid to act. In the end, it’s a choice to stay where it’s familiar or leave and try something new.
The rowing part is simple. It means doing something. A self-rescuing of ourselves, if you will. It is mustering up the courage to take a step, even when we feel unsure. The fear doesn’t go away first. Sometimes we have to face our fears head-on and move forward, even when we feel most frightened or unsure. There’s an old quote, “the only way through the fire is through the fire.” It’s true. Nothing is easy in life, and new things are tough. The effort matters, and even a small step is progress.
The one line about rescuing yourself means a lot to me. It’s not about saying we don’t need others because we all do. Support matters when committing to change, as much as asking for help and letting people in.
No one is meant to do everything alone, but in the end, there’s a choice only we can make. If we don’t make that choice, nothing will change.
So when I say the choice is yours, I mean it simply and directly. I don’t mean to sound harsh. Sometimes, when we are deep in despair, it’s hard to see the way out. But we already have something to work with, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Humans haven’t evolved as long as we have without intrinsic resilience to adversity. The real question is whether we’ll use it and take the step to move forward. Substance abuse is something to overcome, but so is starting a new job or an exercise journey. I know my friend can do it, and so can you, one step at a time.
Oars
You’ve been given the boat and the oars.
Will you linger, weeping on shore?
Or climb aboard and start rowing
through seas of doubt and fear
to rescue yourself.
The choice is yours.
Claim your strength.
Start now.
Row.
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