A Small Change
“a small change
in rudder
affects both the journey
and the destination”
– Kat Lehmann, Small Stones From The River
There is no doubt that the year brought unprecedented storms that have collectively altered our course. But what of the set of our sail? What of the rudder? The world in all its maddeningly unpredictable ways will be what it is, but our course is largely set by us.
Ultimately we control very little in the world but how we react to it. We change course in countless ways all the time. This year offered many lessons. And choices: Alive time or dead time? Some may say it was a lost year, but I would argue it informed us greatly about our resilience, our priorities, and our adaptability. And with that hard-won knowledge, where do we steer to now?
A small change, consistently acted upon, determines where we go. Small, constant changes lead to a zig-zagging, undetermined course. Which is better? It depends on where you want to be and how quickly you want to get there. Both bring you places. But we don’t want to be rudderless.
I prefer to have the tiller and a compass heading I’m confident in. React as we must to the conditions we find ourselves in, but generally keep steering towards our destination. And discover what we may. For the journey is underway.
Nice metaphor. Also like the stock market. If you look too frequently or overanalyze, you’ll cause more anxiety. Sometimes it’s more enjoyable just to let the prevailing wind take you (at least relax for a little while). Zig zag or not, you’ll get there eventually.