Friday, March 13, 2009

What's your point of sail?

They say "Life is like... " a lot. I find this funny, though I have been know to spin a philosophical tale as well. How can life be like something else when everything all combined is life. Or maybe I just don' t know what life is like. Or what life is. Or something. Whatever.

It does seem to me, of late, that a lot of people I know are not happy with life no matter what we say it is like. Whether this is just me opening my eyes to the world around me or just how things are now, I'm not sure. Of that, I'm certain. That I'm not sure. I think.

Life is like...
being out to sea.

Being out to sea can be calm peaceful at moments, rough and unpredictable at others. Beautiful and dangerous. Alluring and frightening. (It sounds like I'm talking about a woman, and perhaps that is why the ocean steals many a mans heart.) There are assumptions that we can make, patterns that we can recognize, yet there is no certainty. We can look at our charts and weather forecasts, we can watch the wave tips and telltales, we can feel the subtle shift of the breeze on our face, or we can hear how the wind rushes over the sails. The ocean will not an can not be tamed. It's all we can do but to make the best of what we know and what we have. At the same time, it's important to know that we have the ability to change course. To change our sails. When the sea is still and there's barely a breeze, we drop the jib and hoist the spinnaker; when the ocean is volatile, we reef the main, secure our harness to the life line and plot the best course we can. We don't control the wind or the sea, but we can adjust our sails and course. Control what you can, and understand what you can't control. What is your course, how are your sails set?
What is your destination?
When do you want to get there?
How will you know when you have arrived?
When you get there, what fantastic things will you find there?
What resources, (crew, boat, charts, experience...) can you call on to get you there? How can you put those to their and your best use?

What can you do RIGHT NOW to begin the journey?


Maarburg (dreaming of the sea)
Current meatspace coordinates:
Lost at sea... for now.