Ship’s captain

Todays “hug” shows a creature on a beach. Behind him the waves are choppy and rising high out of the water. Two little paper boats can be seen bobbing up and down, swept along by the fast current.

The creature on the beach, however, has one foot firmly on the ground and he faces away from the waves with his back to them. His paper boat is actually on his head instead, with a flag waving happily from the top of it. He wears it like a crown.

This creature is the captain of his own ship. Even though he sometimes feels more like those little ships tossing and turning in the ocean, he knows how to ride the waves like a surfer. He keeps his balance and if thrown off the board, knows he will be able to get back on again.

He is in sync with the waves and the ebb and flow. Life will always throw waves at us in the form of challenges and obstacles, but this soul understands that the seas won’t stay stormy forever. Eventually they will subside. He has stopped resisting and goes with the flow.

Next to the creature is a little red crab who looks up at him with a smile, happily waving his little crab claw. He represents the support network we all have. The family, friends, and even strangers who are there to help and guide us when those waves start rising again.

He might be a small crab and easy not to notice, but he has a lot to offer. So don’t forget he is there when those waves roll in and reach out to those around you if you need to. Like the crab, they might just give you a hug and remind you that storms don’t last forever.