When Sinking Becomes a Choice

I once drowned. Not in the ocean, but in a deadly routine. Every morning racing against time, squeezing into the commuter line, then sitting for 9 hours staring at the same computer screen. Sometimes I wonder, do the fish in the office aquarium also feel trapped like me?

It's funny. We are all afraid of drowning in the ocean, but willingly drown ourselves in our comfort zones. We build invisible walls, lock ourselves in routines that we hate, but don't dare to get out because we are too comfortable with the familiar discomfort.

I remember the first time I learned to swim. The instructor said the main key is to let yourself float - trusting that the water will support our bodies. But we always fight, try to control, and finally drown because of the fear itself.

Maybe life is like that too. We drown because we are too afraid to float, grip the control too hard, focus too much on the destination and forget to enjoy the journey. But sometimes, sinking for a while is necessary - to find the bottom, push ourselves to the surface, and appreciate every breath.

Now? I still drown occasionally. The difference is, I can already distinguish which drowning destroys, and which teaches us how to breathe again. Because sometimes, we need to drown to understand how valuable it is to float.

And to those of you who are feeling drowned - don't be too hard on yourself. Enjoy the process. Find your own rhythm of breathing. Because as the philosophy of water says: what flows will find its way, what is calm will find its depth.

(While smiling, imagining the fish in the office aquarium who are probably also philosophically thinking about their fate)

[Image generated with the help of Meta AI!]