“You’re gonna need a bigger boat” warned the police chief to the old fisherman in the movie Jaws. He had just seen the great white shark that was feeding on swimmers near his oceanside town. We all need a bigger boat from time to time. The waves and creatures that we encounter on our voyage through life get bigger as we go. If the vessel of your personality does not grow with them, you risk being overwhelmed. You can fall prey to the sharks.
A boat is a symbol of the ego, the conscious beliefs and worldview by which you navigate life. The shark is a symbol of destructive tendencies and attitudes that would drown or devour you if given the chance. Negativity, discouragement, and excessive fear are examples of these shark-like forces. They rob you of life even while you live. These forces are always present, but usually keep their distance so long as you are moving forward in your growth as a person.
As you become more conscious, aware, and psychologically mature you are, symbolically, building a more sea-worthy boat. You are inhabiting a vessel of greater structural integrity, one that can see you safely through the tempests, challenges, and evil in life. Like Noah building an ark, this work is best done through steady, regular effort. Don’t wait until you are riding on the back of a shark before you get a bigger boat.