In Your Element
We all have a place where we feel most ourselves.
Or, at least, we ought to. Some fortunate few of us might even have a few such places.
It could be the mountains, the workshop, the kitchen, the stage, or the court.
It might not even be a physical place, but a mental one that occurs during a specific activity, such as when you’re writing, designing, meditating, or recording.
It’s a place where you may find deep peace and also find tremendous struggle at times. It’s a place where you feel a sense of belonging. It’s somewhere you know you’re meant to be.
A little spoiler warning here before I talk about Top Gun: Maverick (which was excellent, by the way).
At the beginning of the movie, we see the the titular character, Maverick (Tom Cruise), breaking speed records going beyond Mach 10 in a hypersonic aircraft.
He’s also breaking the rules and perhaps taking a few unnecessary risks in the process, but that’s just the kind of person he is. While it gets him into some trouble, it also serves him well in the story.
During this scene, it’s something of a magical moment where he’s speeding through the skies, surrounded by the muted colors of the atmosphere, totally loving it all. The man is undoubtedly in his element.
It’s similar to real-life rock climber Alex Honnold’s story as he climbs El Capitan without equipment (as documented in the film Free Solo).
While our own such places may be less dramatic (and less dangerous), they’re no less important parts of our lives.
For me, one such place has been when I’m out paddle boarding on the lake. But there are also times when I’m with my family, at the game table, or writing.
Just recently, my wife started playing in a soccer league. It’s something she hasn’t done in a long time, though she once played collegiate soccer. I’ve seen a new part of her come alive as she again participates in something that was once a major part of her life. Even on the hard days when it’s tiring and the game doesn’t go well, there’s still a joy in it.
That’s how you know when you’re in your element. You love it and you want to go back there again and again. Even when it’s not always ideal, even when there are challenges.
It can require much time and effort to find such a place. It may take years to discover a setting that you really connect with, one that stirs you. It may take even longer to hone a particular skill to the point that it feels natural and enjoyable to you.
Depending on the place, it can also require quite a bit of effort to get back to it. Maybe it’s in a distant country or it’s an expensive activity. Maybe you can’t go there every day or even every year.
Even so, finding that place and returning to it as often as you can is worth the effort, because when you do, you’re refilling your own inner well. And from that well comes treasures untold.
We can’t be there all the time (and that’s probably a good thing), but when we’re in our element, we’re lifted up. We remember that life is worth living and all the places in between become a little more bearable.
