Don’t be a Beached Jellyfish

When we had babies
we got the great advice
to put them on a schedule.
Then we (and they) knew
that their needs were met
and we also knew
when we could plan
other activities between.
I had never before
embraced discipline,
but then, when I took
these happy babies out,
and they acted like angels,
I suddenly deeply understood
that discipline equalled freedom.

So I started applying
this idea in my own life,
with my art, my walking,
my blog, my spiritual study,
my reading, and my journaling.
Gosh how much this has helped me,
who otherwise would have avoided
all “shoulds” like a beached jellyfish
who finds the wide ocean restricting,
and ends up out of their element,
and all dried out on the sunny sand,
witheringly going hard and immobile.

I recognize wanting
to run from discipline,
since it sounds
so constraining
but who wants to avoid
freedom and blessing?
That, I want to rush toward!

The routine of that jellyfish
swimming in the water?
It’s not so impinging,
but makes all other
enjoyments possible.
When you embrace
daily routine,
it need not be seen as boring,
but sets us up for those
happy baby moments
out and about,
those stretches when you have
chunks of discretionary time
to fill as you will.
Just because you
brush your teeth
or work every day
doesn’t mean
that’s all you do.
No need to be
restless with it.
And if you clump
your routines together,
the free time is wider.
What then will you elect to do?

Choose to include
into your day
those creative projects
and reoccurring essentials
that keep you in the water,
and allow you to stay afloat.
Identify what buys you freedom,
and then secure some systems
to insure that those basics
are maintained,
so you can feel
less tethered.
Then your life
will continue to be fluid,
flowing longer, more joyous,
and unrestricted.

So many are thinking in terms
of creative 100 day projects,
but instead, how about
a lifetime one?

by Polly Castor
5/8/25