I came across a simple two-panel comic the other day that hit harder than most essays I’ve read. In the first panel, a man stranded on a deserted island sees a boat in the distance. He jumps up, arms raised, and shouts, “BOAT!” Relief floods his face. His isolation may finally be over. In the second panel, we see the man in the boat. He sees the island—and the man on it—and he too shouts, “LAND!” He’s just as overjoyed, perhaps exhausted from being adrift in open water, desperate for solid ground.
It’s a beautiful, humorous, and profound reminder that perspective is everything. One man sees salvation in the other. Both are in need, and both offer something the other lacks. Too often, we get so focused on what we’re missing that we fail to realize someone out there may be seeing in us exactly what they need. It’s a powerful lesson in empathy, gratitude, and the value of connection. Whether you’re on the island or in the boat, don’t discount your own worth. And when two people meet, each bringing what the other needs? That’s where the magic happens.