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| Photo by National Historical Museum of Sweden (NHM) on Unsplash |
There are very few things in this life that we really can control, And yet we try to hold things still wherever we may go. “Do not rock the boat!” they say. “We don’t want it to sink!” But a becalmed boat is dangerous, and leads us to the brink Of dangers that might be far worse than if the boat should sink! A boat that’s stuck without the wind, no motor to make it go, Will reach no destination, and even if they row, The crew may be too far from land to find food on which to feed, And unless the sky provides it, there will be no water, which they need. And though they won’t get sea sick – becalmed boats to nowhere lead. But what if mighty winds blow? And the waves are big and tall? Will they not fall upon our boat, which seems so very small? And won’t we sink? Is there no way to control the mighty sea? Are we really at its mercy? We must really let it be? How then in such a mighty wind are we ever to be free? A sailor can assure you there are things that you can do. To scull those mighty waves with grace and get you safely through. You must not aim right at the waves, for surely you will sink. And if you run away from waves, they will do just as you’d think, And they will land hard on your boat, and that will make it sink. When you scull a wave you honor the fact that the wave is really big. And you angle your boat across the wave, it’s the surest way to live. Just like you can’t eat an elephant, in one giant bite, You cannot face a giant wave head on and win the fight. Stay calm heading into the wind at the angle that is right. You do control the sails and rudder that direct your boat And zig zagging the waves is really helping you to float. In storms there is not time for you to clean the galley or the deck. The storms will calm and you will find that you avoided a nasty wreck. And then you have a moment to maintain the ship, and deck. So when the winds are steady, taking you along your way. And leading you so quickly to the place you hope to stay. Give thanks but mind the boat, making sure you give it care. For when the waves come rushing in and the wind’s no longer fair, You will need the boat to carry you zig zag across the waves. And you will find out, after all, that you are strong and brave. |
