Written By, Anonymous

She woke up and found herself alone in a rowboat, stranded on a sandbar with only food and water by her side. She wasn’t quite sure how she ended up there. She thought once the tide came in, “I can make my way to shore. I don’t need help or assistance.”

As the tide slowly approached, she realized she needed oars. The pressure was on. No weed. She was confused and so lonely. How could she reach shore without her beloved weed? Her energy, she thought, came from weed. But after many days sitting high and dry in the boat, physically stuck on the sandbar, she thought she was trapped forever. Hopeless. And that thought frightened her. “How the hell can I survive without my weed?”

Voices in the wind were starting to speak to her. The voices were saying things like “You can do it. The shore is right there”. The voices were faint. Not to be believed.

After many brutal days of being stranded, two seagulls came by. They were named Serenity and Courage. They delivered her one oar and embraced her with their salted wings. They whispered into her ears “We know you can do this. You can save yourself. Keep paddling and another oar will appear.” She had never heard a seagull speak to her before, but she chose to believe. She knew she desperately needed that oar to get back to shore.

As the tide continued to approach, the boat was now afloat. She started paddling furiously. There were waves, swells, and unforeseen currents that tried to push her back onto the sandbar. It was tough going. She needed all her strength to reach the floating oar. She asked the seagulls for the second oar but they made it clear. She would have to paddle more on her own. Who were these talking seagulls?

Something deep inside her made her realize that if she wanted to be onshore, she had to work harder than ever to reach it. During her one-oar paddling, she cried and shivered and wished she wasn’t so alone. She was angry at life and angry at everyone and everything. Something welled up inside and she paddled harder than ever. She found that with hard work, the second oar was in her grasp! Progress! She did it on her own!

Two oars would bring her to shore in no time at all. She pointed the bow of her red rowboat to the shoreline and gave it all the strength she could muster. Two oars certainly helped but it was a struggle. A couple of other stoned boaters came by to offer her her favorite weed. She sure wanted some of that strength. But her alone time gave her the insight to know weed was not the answer. The seagulls circled, as if driven by a Higher Power.

As she gained strength from her persistent rowing, she realized that her arms and shoulders had gained muscle, strength, and doses of confidence were appearing. The boaters who offered her weed could now be swatted away with her newfound abilities. She was getting stronger– both physically and mentally. She started to feel good about herself. That was a strange feeling, but very welcomed.

Her hard rowing was making headway to the gentle waves lapping the shore. As she rowed closer, she could see masses of people she had known along the shore. They were cheering her in! What a sight to see! People she’s known throughout her life all waving and smiling! Oh, this was such a good feeling! She was learning that her own inner strength and love of life was far more important than smoking weed. She realized weed was her enemy! Quite a profound thought!

After suffering, feeling alone and unloved, she could see that it was her determination that made all the difference. The gliding seagulls were right. If she worked hard, she could reach her goals. The shore was getting closer. From her vantage point of seeing the cheering crowds along the shore, it occurred to her that everyone along the shore was living life and making it work even though they, too, had struggles of their own. It also occurred to her that she would fit in nicely with the masses. Her newfound strength was going to show her how to blend into society without the weed.

The crowd was roaring; “Congratulations, you’re almost here, we believe in you!” “Listen to your Higher Power!” The cheers helped for sure, but she had to row a bit more on her own. Finally, the gentle waves at the shore were under her boat. She stepped on land and was overwhelmed. She was still confused and unsure of her footing. Slowly, she lost her sea legs. The wobble was fading and she could walk with confidence. One day at a time, she could see her own improvement. Glancing up, the seagulls were still with her. They never left. Sometimes they were out of sight, and then they would appear for support and spiritual guidance.

As the days trickled on, she found herself in that very same crowd that cheered her in from the sandbar. She spotted others off in the distant ocean. They too were stranded just like her. She knew that answer now. She knew how to help them. With the help and support of her Higher Power—the seagulls, victory was at hand. She had been through hell and darkness, yet she found her way back. It was then that she realized, “maybe one day I can help others. I have so much love to give because I’ve seen how loved I am.” Loved by the crowd, loved by Serenity and Courage, she realized that her own determination got her that second oar. She knew so much more now.

She actually liked herself now. She worked hard and took credit for overcoming her unfavorable past predicaments. In a private moment, she thanked the high-flying gulls and the Higher Power that guided and supported her. Now she understood what Higher Power meant. It means believing in yourself and trusting guidance from above no matter what form it takes. Some might say that the Higher Power spoke through the gulls. If not the Higher Power, she resolved to listen to the voices in the wind. Sometimes the gulls take the form of friends or relatives who want her to succeed.

The days of being stranded on the sandbar are in her distant past now.

One day she would step forward to help others, but for now, her own path of being sober was her goal. The future looks so bright she thought.

No more sandbars for me.

Published by ANL – September 2025