Katrina Thornley

Today I found myself sitting outside painting, three mini canvases in front of me, a burning candle to my right, and paint brushes splayed across the table. It was peaceful, it looked like a disaster, but it was the most relaxed I had felt in ages. And I began to think, about writing, about reading, about painting, about me, about life, about where I came from.

And then I saw it.

The anchor: the symbol of Rhode Island that is taken and mangled and interpreted in so many ways.

So. An anchor.
Oxford English Dictionary says:
Noun: A heavy object attached to a cable or chain and used to moor a ship to the sea bottom, typically having a metal shank with a pair of curved, barbed flukes at one end.
‘A person or thing that provides stability or confidence in an otherwise uncertain situation.
Verb: Moor (a ship) to the sea bottom with an anchor.
Secure firmly in position.
Provide with a firm basis or foundation.

 

So, anchor. I have heard people complain that anchors are meant to hold them back, to keep them in place. But this is not true. An anchor is not permanent, it can be lifted and moved. It is an object that can be taken with you. It just sets a solid base, creates a foundation for what is to come next. It keeps a ship safe in a storm, holds it steady.

We all need an anchor, something to hold onto when times are tough. An anchor lets us know that there is solid ground below us even when the water is rough. It provides hope that eventually things will calm. The Earth has not completely shattered yet.

Perspective is key in observing life. Take a positive note. Look around. Find an anchor and allow yourself to get attached. Don’t float away because you’re afraid of being tied down. Sometimes, being held in place is the best feeling. It gives the opportunity to create a home.

We all have our anchors. Objects, people, places. For me it’s a park, a favorite book, family. For others, it’s the roar of an engine, the purple of their favorite shirt, the pages they’ve marked up in a poetry book. Anchors make it possible to live, to survive and thrive. Like roots they give us a place to go back to.

Never forget your roots. Take pride in them, no matter what they are.