The Whale and the Human

In the middle of the sea, there lived a captain named James. James had been sailing these mysterious waters all his life. Born on a boat no bigger than your average apartment, James was used to living without asking for much. A big life was beyond what James thought was humanly possible for anyone. It had never even crossed his mind that he might one day want to live somewhere bigger and more steady. All James had ever known was the boat he lived on and the constantly shifting sea.

James had a sparkle in his eye when you met him. The way he carried himself was gentle and unassuming. If you asked James what he thought about, he would tell you: the birds, the water, and the breeze—never more complicated than that. All James knew was his simple life and his simple thoughts.

From time to time, James would pass by another boat, and they would anchor next to each other. James met many interesting people this way. Their stories were so big, and they talked about their lives as if they were the stars of their own dramas. James listened intently to these stories, fully present with the emotions of the storyteller. He couldn't help but get caught up in them. As he listened closely, the twinkle in his eye seemed to answer the unspoken question in the storyteller's heart. That question was always, Am I loved? and James’s eyes always responded, Yes, yes, you are.