Discovering the Ocean Within: A Wave's Story - By Isaac C. Registered Psychologist

Once upon a time in the vast ocean, there lived a baby wave. This little wave was full of life, dancing and playing with the other waves, enjoying every moment in the sea. The baby wave revelled in the sensation of rising and falling, splashing with glee, and feeling the warmth of the sun on its watery form. Life in the ocean was an endless adventure.

One day, as the baby wave was joyfully riding the crest of a wave, it noticed something perplexing. In the distance, waves seemed to vanish into thin air at the shoreline. Intrigued and a bit concerned, the baby wave paddled over to its mother, a much larger and wiser wave.

With curiosity and a touch of worry, the baby wave asked, "Mom, why do the waves disappear when they reach the end over there?" It pointed a frothy curl toward the distant shore.

The mother wave, with her vast wisdom gained from many tides, answered gently, "Well, my dear, that's where we all must go. It's a part of our journey, where waves transform."

The baby wave was puzzled and a little frightened. "Will I disappear too when I reach there, at the end, when I reach the LAND?" it asked with a hint of fear.

The mother wave, seeing her little one's anxiety, understood. "You are concerned about what lies ahead," she said soothingly. "But you don't need to worry. You see, you are not just a wave; you are also the water in the ocean."

The baby wave looked puzzled, so another wise wave, who had been listening nearby, chimed in. "Young one, you don't have to fear. You are part of something vast and eternal. While the wave might end, the water continues forever."

With this newfound understanding, the baby wave's fear dissolved like sea foam. It realized that it was not merely a wave; it was the ocean itself. From that moment on, the little wave danced with even more joy and enthusiasm, for it had discovered the profound truth about its existence.

The Moral of the Story:

This enchanting story teaches us a valuable lesson about life. Just like the baby wave, we often worry about the future and forget to relish the present moment. In this tale, the ocean can be compared to our consciousness, and the waves symbolize our thoughts, emotions, body, agency, and behaviour.

Many times, we get engrossed in these "waves" of our lives, identifying so strongly with our thoughts and feelings that we forget our true nature, which is as immense as the ocean itself. Similar to the little wave's concerns about reaching the shore and losing itself, we often fret about what lies ahead.

But, as the story reveals, just as the water in the ocean goes on forever, our consciousness is something eternal. Thus, it's vital to live life to the fullest, relish every moment, and not get overly caught up in the transient waves of our experiences. We should always remember that we are more than our thoughts and emotions; we are as boundless as the ocean itself.

Isaac Cherian, Edmonton