Rogue Waves
March 26, 2025
Rip Tides is the final in our Turbulent Times series. Get caught up by reading Turbulent Waters, Rip Tides, White Caps, and Rogue Waves.
Being caught up by turbulence, in the ocean or during this time in history, is terrifying. In the past few posts, I have been exploring lessons learned from my family history with the ocean. I shared three stories from my family about the frightening power of the ocean from rip tides on the California coast to Atlantic breakers and Hawaiin rogue waves. My goal is to take these lessons and to keep learning from them, to find ways to strengthen my own and others’ resilience as forces outside of our control create chaos.
A Step Further
I have been talking about these stories and lessons learned with others. The similarities between these stories and our current social-political climate are the emotional reactions, feeling panicked, and out of control. The biggest difference is that each of the ocean stories took place in a short amount of time. It may have felt like forever, but it was actually over and done within a short amount of time. These lessons are still relevant when we take them a step further to apply to our current conditions.
Keep Breathing
Stay alive so that you can act when conditions change. My mother and cousin were able to pull themselves out of the ocean because they kept floating while the rip tide carried them down the coast. A step further would be to build strength whenever you can. Breath, exercise, connect with healthy others, secure your finances, build your resilience – build your strength and abilities so that when you bump into an opportunity you can act.
Ask for Help
My family and I ended our vacation with putt-putt golf and ice cream, rather than tragedy, because my mom asked for help. This only worked because there were helpful people available. Taking this a step further is to build your connections now. Expand your network of friends and colleagues online and in person. Find others who are doing the work that matters to you and join them. Being connected to resilient people will put you in a better position to help, or to be helped, when faced with a challenge.
Proceed with (Educated) Caution
My wife and I had some clue that waves in Hawaii can be intense. We still got caught unawares because we hadn’t done more research. Taking this a step further now means tuning in to people who have knowledge and practical information. This is not easy as there is so much outrage and helplessness flooding the media. Pick your sources and learn what you need to know for your situation or local community. Keep your head up for both threats and opportunities.
New Input
After I sent these stories out into the world I talked to my mother and cousin Signe about their rip tide experiences. Mom, now 88, still remembers how scary it was. Signe said “you know your mom lied to me the whole time. That kept me alive.” Signe asked Mom over and over “can you touch? Can you see the shore?” Apparently, Mom said “oh yes, I can touch, we are getting closer” even though she couldn’t touch or see land. That hope kept Signe swimming even after she lost sight of Mom. Eventually they were both washed back to shore. I have been thinking about that lie, of hope, that kept Signe afloat.
How do we keep hope alive? Sometimes we lie to ourselves or each other. I think of lies I have told as a mother, “It’s ok, I don’t care that you broke that” or “We aren’t lost; we’re just taking the long way home.” I am not looking to lie to anyone, or to have anyone lie to me. We do need hope though and encouragement from one another. How do we help one another keep swimming, breathing, and trying? The truth is we are in a liminal time, a time of great change and turbulence with no clear conclusion. Each one of us alone can do so little. Each one of us alone can guard their own strength and peace. All of us can reach out and connect to build resilience, and community.
Thank you for joining me on this exploration of turbulent waters, both literal and metaphorical. I appreciate each member of our LearnModelTeach community. Please share this with others, and if you are not receiving the weekly emails, you are welcome to sign up below.
Peace,
Laura
