"I read the synopsis of a novel called "Message in a Bottle", this book shimmers with suspense and emotional intensity - definitely a must read! I am sharing the prologue and below that my thoughts on how our journey though life can sometimes be compared to that of a bottle in the sea."
Prologue of the book: Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks
The bottle was dropped overboard on a warm summer evening, a few hours before the rain began to fall.
Like all bottles, it was fragile and would break if dropped a few feet from the ground. But when sealed properly and sent to sea, as this one was, it became one of the most seaworthy objects known to man. It could float safely through hurricanes or tropical storms; it could bob atop the most dangerous of riptides. It was, in a way, the ideal home for the message it carried inside, a message that had been sent to fulfil a promise.
Like that of all bottles left to the whim of the oceans, its course was unpredictable. Winds and currents play large roles in any bottle’s direction; storms and debris may shift its course as well. Occasionally fishing net will snag a bottle and carry it a dozen miles in the opposite direction in which it was headed. The result is that two bottles dropped simultaneously into the ocean might end up a continent apart, or even on opposite sides of the globe. There is no way to predict where a bottle might travel, and that is part of its mystery.
Messages in bottles have been chronicled for centuries and include some of the most famous names in history. It can contain a message that would change two people forever, two people who would otherwise never have met, and for this reason it could be called a fated message.
Message in a Bottle takes readers on a hunt for the truth about a man and his memories, and about both the heart-breaking fragility and enormous strength of love. For those who cherished The Notebook and readers waiting to discover the magic of Nicholas Sparks’ storytelling, this is an achingly lovely novel of happenstance, desire, and the choices that matter most.
Journey through Life
Just like a message in a bottle being thrown at sea, LIFE takes us on different journeys. We are hit by ‘tropical storms, hurricanes, riptides’ disguised as challenges, disappointments or the loss of a loved one. As we “sail” the waves become bigger and at times you feel like a little leaf being carried by the wind BUT what is important, is that you do not give up, try a little harder each time your “boat” is hit by a storm. Stay strong and try to keep your boat steady.
ALWAYS REMEMBER unlike the bottle that is dependent on wind and currents to direct its course; we are the “Captains” of our “boats”… Sometimes we get so stuck in situations where we try to manoeuvre our boat to avoid it from sinking and fail to hear the little voice in our minds or that of a friend/colleague trying to reach out and help.
Whenever you are sailing through a “storm”, remember to stop, take a break, breathe, evaluate the situation, and decide what direction you want to go. YOU are the captain; you have the map (development plan) and details about the destination (dreams/goals) you are sailing to. Unlike the bottle, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE, which direction you want to go.
As with the bottle carrying a message, you need to think about "what message am I carrying?" as I sail through life...
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” - Haruki Murakami
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