Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sailing Ships

'A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not why ships are built.'



Ships are built to sail out into the wide open world, into possibility, into the unknown and whatever that might bring. We have a fleet of ships, in our lives. Some of them we keep docked at the pier, never trusting enough to let them go where they might, and some ships are sent off into the wide open world, to see what the journey might bring.




What a wonderful metaphor for life. What an apropos metaphor for living, indeed. Do you have balance in your life? Some of your fleet of ships kept at home, some let out into the Bay of Certainty and a few of the strong sturdy vessels that you have faith in are sent into the Sea of Possibility...


Do you allow for stormy tempestuous seas? Do you keep going with a weather eye on the horizon? When your journey becomes treacherous, do you turn back or ride the waves as they are crashing around you, until you've reached calm waters again?
There is always the chance that your ship will sink... but what wonders and experiences would you miss if you never left the safety of your shore?


In venturing out beyond our safe boundaries, we discover, we adventure, we learn and we grow. It is not always pleasant, but that makes the smooth sailing all the more wonderful, and it makes the voyage well worth it.

What an opportunity to be able to go, to have the ability to set the sails and explore what we do not yet know. What a treasure in that chance alone. Life is much too short not to try, not to seize the day... carpe' diem indeed. Take from every moment what can be gotten, more than you expect, and give that back tenfold without ceasing. Live it to its fullest, without limits; for we only create for ourselves most of the limits we have.

Viaggiatore and I wish you calm seas, sunny days, clear sparkling nights, and more adventure than you can ever imagine, with a gentle tide to bring you home at time's end.



3 comments:

Vesper said...

Scarlett, well said indeed and with such beautiful pictures! I fully agree with you, but I often have to ask myself the question: How? And I not always find the answer...
Thank you for a much needed reminder... :-)

Clowncar said...

Sailing is a great metaphor for life. The idea of storms, of safe harbor, of straying beyond the shoreline to the vast horizon beyond.

Have fun in Vegas.

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

Vesper,

I think our hearts tell us how, don't they? Don't we know what it is that we really want, deep down?
Perhaps the journey is going after the dream and experiencing life all along the way?


Clowncar,

It IS a great metaphor. My fortune cookie was spot on! ;D
I'm anxious to set sail on a big journey myself, just have to wait until the ship is ready to sail, as it is being built just now.

Vegas was a blast!


Scarlett & Viaggiatore