My parents retired to the coast of Maine, so I go there often, and over the years I've become closely familiar with tides. There's a rhythm to it that you don't fully appreciate until you're standing on the shore watching it happen twice a day, every day, whether you're paying attention or not. The water comes in, claims the beach, and then, just as surely, gives it back. It doesn't rush. It doesn't skip a cycle because the weather's bad or because nobody's around to watch. Ocean tides are powerful and consistent — a force that cannot be ignored.
The Rhythm We Follow
As we go about our work and family lives, we usually follow a similar pattern every day, week, and month — our own version of that regular in and out. Summer is often when we get a chance to break that pattern. School is out. The days are long, so doing things early or late is easier. The weather cooperates. Community festivals, parades, concerts, and barbecues interrupt our normal routines, and for a little while the tide of our ordinary schedule pulls back.
The Midpoint of the Year
I was struck recently by a piece from New York Times writer Melissa Kirsch, reflecting on the exact midpoint of this year — the fact that on July 2 at noon, we reached the precise middle of 2026, with 182.5 days on either side. She pointed out that once you know you're at the midpoint, taking stock becomes almost irresistible: How's the year going? According to plan? What's been done, and what's still ahead? It's the kind of audit that feels productive — surely we shouldn't waste the moment.
But Kirsch's piece raised a question I keep coming back to: what if we're just here, in the middle, without judgment, without pulling in one direction or the other?
Finding Your Own Slack Water
That's what brought me back to the tides. There's a brief moment in the tidal cycle called slack water — when the current is momentarily still, neither going out nor coming in. The flooding and the ebbing both stop, just for a moment, as the tide changes direction. It's a reset. A breath-taking. A brief pause built right into the middle of all that relentless motion. If the ocean can pause for a moment in the middle of its own surging, it seems reasonable that we can too.
Summer is a great time to reflect on your true purpose. Use this moment — this slack water — to clarify your goals. And if you decide that change is needed, I'm available to help you take the next step. Schedule a free consultation or email
Reflection on the midpoint of the year adapted from a July 2026 New York Times newsletter piece by Melissa Kirsch. Read her original piece here.
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Sabol
