Life is hard. We endure stress at all levels and of all types. We all experience the weight of daily pressures which unabated crush the spirit and will. In today's world, we need to escape and find peace and rejuvenation. Beautiful moments help; a lovely sunrise, a soaring falcon, the smell of rain. Nature restores our hope, our will. That is the beauty of sailing. For those of us lucky enough to have been at the helm, with full sail and heeling, harnessing the wind with majesty, the connection to nature is visceral. No stress of the world can exist in the presence of awe.
The mountains offer much the same peace, but somehow, to me, they are lacking. To climb a peak and stand upon the summit can somehow leave you wanting. With a long trip down, countless peaks around you are unfazed by your accomplishment. The return to the car, to home, to civilization can be a shocking realization that your stress never left, that it was here waiting for you.
The end of a sail to me is different. No matter the voyage, bringing the boat in the channel, the marina, maneuvering into the slip, tying up, always gives the same satisfaction. You walk away when all is properly stowed and secured, look back at your vessel with confidence, and resume your "other" life. Sailors have an alter ego. Aboard and underway, nothing else matters. Nothing but a safe return to port.
No comments:
Post a Comment