The Fish Who Swam Around the World Looking for the Ocean

There is a story of a young fish who swam all around the world hoping to one day find the ocean. They say that along this journey, the young fish happened to see an elder fish in the distance. 

He swims up to the elder fish and asks him, "Excuse me sir, I am looking for the ocean. Might you be able to point me in the right direction?"

The elder fish replies, "Son, this IS the ocean. You're swimming in it."

The young fish says, "No sir, this is water. I'm looking for the ocean. It's okay, I'll just keep looking. Thanks anyways."

The elder fish knows that if he tries to explain to the young fish that he was already in fact swimming in the ocean, the young fish would continue to push away that perspective and continue seeking even harder than he already was. The elder fish knows the young fish has to find out on his own.

Now let's say that after years and years of seeking the ocean... after years and years of thinking that "Oh yes this specific place must be it!" Years and years of roaming around the world looking for the ocean, that holy place where a young fish can FINALLY feel happy, the fish is now exhausted. The journey has burnt him out. He has explored the most beautiful parts of the sea, but something always felt missing.

Finally, there comes a day when the fish finally gives up.

He surrenders.

Maybe there is no ocean... maybe it was just a myth. What's the point of anything anymore?

Suddenly he remembers what the elder fish had told him all those years ago. "Son, this IS the ocean."

The young fish swims in place, pondering this statement.

"Could it be?

Could it be that I had been swimming in it all along?

If that is true, then I should stop seeking it right? It makes no sense to seek what is already here.

Ok, I'll stop seeking the ocean and just continue my life while doing the things that are meaningful for me."

For a few days, the fish feels peace. No more burn out. He's much more present. His surroundings feel more vibrant and beautiful than before.

Until one day, a little voice in his fish mind says: "Dude! What if this isn't the ocean?! Shouldn't you be looking for it?! Why did you stop?! It could be out there waiting for you, and you're here chilling not doing anything about it. What if you miss out on something amazing?!"

This causes the fish to think about the possibility of an even more beautiful place out there in the world where the real ocean might actually be. "I can't miss out on this!" exclaims the fish. The young fish sets off again on a voyage in search for the ocean, once again. 

A year goes by and of course he hasn't found what he's looking for. The young fish then says, "Wait wait wait...I've already done this before. What did I do last time I realized this? Oh yeah, I stopped seeking. I appreciated my surroundings and felt grateful to be alive. I felt abundant." The little voice in his fish mind stayed quiet, waiting for another moment in the future to try to convince the young fish again.

THIS IS MY CURRENT LIFE EXPERIENCE

The skill I am currently learning is how to identify that 'little voice' and disregard it. Sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I fail. The little voice tells me that I can only find happiness if I find the right life partner. And I am learning to remember that the right life partner is actually MYSELF. This IS the ocean. It's okay if you forget, just try your best to come back to the present and remember that this IS the ocean. In the beginning, your mind won't want to accept it. That becomes your chance to listen to your mind as it talks and tries to convince you that this isn't it. I suggest that you find other people who are on a similar journey. The ones who are not will not be able to support you in this journey, they are still looking for the ocean.

I wish you the best of luck, and I have faith that we will meet each other here in the ocean one day.

Much love.