emotional resilience

Safe ~ A Poem by Augusta Davies Webster

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When the Storm Rages, You Remain Safe

Even the wildest winds lose their power when you discover where your true anchorage lies.

Safe

Augusta Davies Webster

Wild wintry wind, storm through the night, 
        Dash the black clouds against the sky, 
Hiss through the billows seething white, 
        Fling the rock-surf in spray on high. 

Hurl the high seas on harbour bars, 
        Madden them with thy havoc-shriek 
Against the crimson beacon-stars — 
        Thy rage no more can make me weak. 

The ship rides safely in the bay, 
      The ship that held my hope in her — 
Whirl on, wild wind, in thy wild fray, 
      We hear our whispers through the stir.

Source

Reflection

Webster’s poem pulls us straight into a furious night—waves crashing, winds screaming, clouds tearing across the sky. And yet, in the midst of this chaos, something remarkable emerges: safety, not because the storm calms, but because the ship has reached the harbor. The poem invites us to consider where our harbors lie. What anchors us when life’s winds howl? Strength doesn’t always come by quieting the storm; sometimes it comes by recognizing the shelter already holding us steady. The whisper of hope can outshine the loudest rage.

Reader Question

What “harbor” in your life helps you stay safe when your personal storms rise?

Cut Each Other Some Slack: Riding Out the Storms of Mood

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We never fully know what’s brewing in someone else’s mind. Moods shift like weather—sometimes sunny, sometimes stormy. Here’s why grace matters.

We can’t predict nor understand all of the moods of another person. We can wake up in the best of moods and the person next to us wakes up angry, depressed, or remembering some past transgression. We have no idea what caused their reaction. We may have said, “Where did this come from?” only to get an icy stare. We have no idea what is going on in their mind. They probably don’t understand either. They woke up feeling crappy and they don’t know how to stop feeling this way so they take their darkness and toss it on of us. It’s best to avoid people when they’re like that. It’s up to them to work their way through it and come out in the sunlight. We can’t be too hard on them because we have our moments like that as well. It could be the result of a dream we don’t remember. Perhaps some food caused it. Maybe it was a smell. Or, a song in our playlist. We have to cut each other some slack if we’re going to make it through the day. I don’t see any other way around it. So, if this post upsets you, cut me some slack. Lol If you leave a comment that I don’t like I’ll cut you some slack as well. Enjoy every moment and have a great day.

Next Play, Best Play: What Football Taught Me About Letting Go of Regret

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A missed tackle. A wrong word. A bad decision. You can live in the past—or line up for the next play.

I watched an interview clip of an American football player. During the interview the reporter asked the player, “What do you think about when you make a bad play?” The player didn’t hesitate, “I think about the next play.” I paused the video and put the player’s quote in my note app. I thought about how applicable the quote is to our lives. We’re all going to have moments of failure. We’re all going to have moments when we said something we wished we hadn’t or did something we wished we didn’t. Instead of diving headfirst into the swamp of regrets, why not apologize or make amends where appropriate and move on to the next play. Another player said it a bit differently. When he was asked, “What were your best moments?” He didn’t hesitate, “My best moment is my next moment.” The same holds true for you and me.

🧠 Points to Ponder:

  • How often do you replay your worst moments instead of preparing for your best?
  • What “next play” in your life is waiting for your full attention?
  • Can you forgive yourself as quickly as an athlete resets after a bad play?
  • Are you measuring your life by your past errors—or your next chance to get it right?
  • What would your life look like if your best moment was always the one right in front of you?

Grieving: When the Pain Softens but the Missing Stays

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Death hurts—and it keeps on hurting in ways time doesn’t erase. In this episode, Ray reflects on the nine years since his wife’s death and the “hole in the soul” that never filled in. Drawing strength and companionship from Victor Hugo’s poem Tomorrow at Dawn, he explores how grief changes shape but remains part of us. You’ll hear why accepting the hole isn’t giving up—it’s how we live, love, grow, and honor those we miss. If you’re carrying your own emptiness, you’re not alone. Walk on with us.

5 Salient Points

  • Grief is long, unpredictable, and unavoidable for emotionally healthy people.
  • Over time, acute pain fades—but the absence remains as a “hole in the soul.”
  • Acceptance doesn’t close the hole; it lets us live with it.
  • Victor Hugo’s Tomorrow at Dawn mirrors the universal ache of enduring loss.
  • We honor our loved ones by continuing to live, grow, and walk forward—hole and all.

Light for the Journey: Why Love Is the Lifeblood of Strength

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Think love is just roses and warm fuzzies? Think again. Love is the invisible force that pumps meaning through your veins and gives strength its backbone.

One cannot be strong without love. For love is not an irrelevant emotion; it is the blood of life. ~ Paul Tillich

Reflection

Paul Tillich’s words invite us to reframe love—not as a luxury or fleeting emotion, but as the very lifeblood of our existence. Without love, strength becomes brittle, power turns cold, and purpose fades into shadows. Love is what gives muscle to our courage, breath to our endurance, and heartbeat to our dreams. It’s the mother holding her child through the night. It’s the friend who shows up when life unravels. It’s the quiet commitment to do good even when no one notices. Love isn’t weakness—it’s why we stand back up when life knocks us down. If you want to be truly strong, don’t just build walls. Build bridges. Because love, not armor, is what keeps us truly alive.

New Podcast: Walkers with the Morning: From Grief to Gratitude

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Grief doesn’t always shout. Sometimes, it whispers through morning rituals, the smell of coffee, or a sliver of dawn. But there’s hope in these small sacred moments—and healing in remembering them with grace.

The Healing Power of Joyful Memories in Grief

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Listen to my Podcast, Journey from Grief to Healing, Episode 125 on your favorite podcasting app or click here for Episode 125

In this episode of the “Journey from Grief to Healing” podcast, we explore the two doors in our minds that hold our memories—one filled with pain, sorrow, and suffering, and the other brimming with moments of love, joy, and strength. We discuss how choosing to focus on positive memories can fuel our healing process and help us find strength in the face of loss.

Inspired by William Butler Yeats’ poignant poem “When You are Old,” we reflect on how cherished memories can guide us through grief. Just like the poem, our loved ones leave behind a storehouse of beautiful memories that we hold the key to. It’s time to let go of the door that leads to sorrow and embrace the one that keeps us moving forward with hope and love.

Join us as we open the door to a storehouse of treasured memories and discover the joy, happiness, and strength they offer. Whether you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or simply seeking to focus on the positive, this episode will inspire you to hold tight to the key that unlocks a brighter tomorrow.

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