Floating, Not Failing.

There’s something quietly powerful about boats at rest.

They’ve been out there, tossed by waves, navigating unknown currents, maybe even lost sight of shore for a while. But in this moment? They’re still. Not because they gave up, but because they’ve arrived, or at least paused long enough to breathe.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how life mirrors this.

There were seasons where I drifted aimlessly. I chased plans that didn’t unfold the way I hoped. I ran after people, timelines, and dreams only to begin realizing I might have been rowing upstream, against the tide of who I’m slowly becoming.

I guess I missed a lot.

Missed chances. Missed signs. Missed the quiet voice inside me asking to slow down. And in all that missing, life got messy.

One of the areas where I feel this most is in my career.

I’ve been working in the same company for ten years. It's familiar, it's steady but at times, I feel like I’m just going through the motions. I’ve tried to find something new, something that reignites purpose and growth, but the doors haven’t opened. Rejections, silence, or simply nothing aligning yet. It’s easy to let that feel like failure.

And then there’s the part I don’t often talk about - relationships. I’ve been single for a long time. It’s not something that consumes me, but every now and then, there’s a quiet wondering. Will I always be alone? Is love something still waiting for me somewhere down the road? It creeps in during quiet moments when I see others building their lives together, or when I imagine growing older. But I hold on to this: I believe God has a plan for me. I believe there’s a reason for every delay, even the ones I don’t understand yet.

In many ways, it reflects my career, another part of life that hasn’t unfolded the way I thought it would, where I’m learning to sit with the waiting, the wondering, and the quiet hope that maybe something meaningful is still ahead.

And here's what I’m slowly learning:

The mess doesn't mean you’ve failed.

The misses don't mean you're behind.

And not all movement is progress. Sometimes, stillness is where the real healing begins.

Like those boats resting under a sky that’s both heavy and hopeful, we’re allowed to pause. We’re allowed to be unsure, in between destinations. We’re allowed to catch our breath.

Because beneath the surface, something deeper is happening. Perspective is shifting. Strength is building. We’re not the same people who once felt lost at sea.

We’re learning to anchor not in outcomes, but in presence.

We’re learning that the mess isn’t the end of the story. It’s the middle. It’s the proof we tried, we lived, we dared to care even when things didn’t go as planned.

And if you’re reading this feeling a little tangled in your own storm, I hope this reminds you:

You are not behind.

You are not too late.

You are exactly where you need to be - floating, not failing.

Rest. Reflect. Re-center.

The tide will shift again.

But for now, it’s okay to just be. - MESSY E.

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