Salmon begin their lives in freshwater, hatching and growing until they are strong enough to embark on a perilous journey to the ocean.
To reach the ocean, they must travel hundreds of miles, and to reach their feeding grounds, they may have to travel another thousand miles. The Yukon River salmon migrates over 1,900 miles (3,000 km) to the Bering Sea, which is the longest freshwater migration route.
Upon spending years in the ocean, they return to their birthplace to breed, guided by an instinct scientists don’t fully understand, taking the exact path they took to get there.
During this journey, they don’t eat, and instead draw energy from their fat storage, muscles, and organs to fuel themselves.
Upon spawning, both males and females die, supplying nutrients to the river habitat and seeds of the next generation that will someday return to continue the cycle.
Just as salmon are hardwired to return to their birthplaces to breed, we are guided by forces, some conscious, others not. Many of our thoughts and feelings are influenced by our origins, traditions, and childhood experiences.
Our perception of the world, what disappoints us, and what thrills us are shaped by these forces. The rain that spoils my day could be another’s miracle after a drought.
People raised in troubled families or poverty will perceive relationships and opportunities differently from those who grew up in more stable environments.
The cycle tends to repeat, with our thoughts and decisions often ingrained by past experiences. They shape our future in a continuous loop, a current pulling us along a familiar path.
But we’re not bound by instinct alone, as the salmon are. We have the capacity to question, to explore, to redefine our path. Unlike salmon, our fate isn’t merely to follow the path laid before us.
We have the ability to challenge our instincts, to step out of cycles that we find ourselves in, and to create a path that is uniquely ours.
In this freedom, we find not only our individuality but our humanity. It’s the choice to create our meaning, find our joy, and live a life that resonates with who we are and who we want to become.
The salmon’s journey is an extraordinary marvel of nature, governed by instinct and survival. Our journey, filled with complexity and choices, stands equally remarkable. Unlike the predetermined path of the salmon, we have the conscious ability to question, shape, and carve our own unique path in life.