“Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” –Voltaire
Just a brief reminder… it’s not all going to work out all the time. We’re all doing our best to stay afloat, navigating as best we can the often treacherous sea of life, and sometimes as we attempt to sail to our goal an unforeseen storm will threaten our stability, sometimes the rocks of circumstance will dash our hopes and plans.
When you feel like all hope is lost, look around at those in your lifeboat, which might also be called Plan B or Still Trying or the line at the bank or the bus in commuter traffic. Observe for a moment, then try to harmonize.
Look at the scenery, watch for land, a pelican, a whale spout. Sing about where you are.
If you feel trapped on some desolate island with nothing to eat but coconuts, make coconut cream pie or macaroons.
When you find a compass, treasure it. It might be a principle, a passion or driving interest. Keep it handy, use it wisely.
Remember, as you quickly would if you were lost at sea, to appreciate the simple things that feed your body and soul: fresh water, warmth, good food, companionship, laughter.
Sometimes keeping your spirits up and turning your mind to constructive thoughts is the only thing keeping you from the utter despair that makes you jump overboard to become shark food. Cultivate these abilities.
The world is as it is, containing both good and bad, and sometimes just moving to stand in a different spot causes us to have a better angle, to see an advantage, to discover that our hoped-for destination has just become visible over the horizon.
And then what a song we’ll have to sing.
5 Comments
October 6, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Wow. This is good, and should be forwarded as an email.
October 6, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I like that a lot.
October 6, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Kween, I would be honored if you would like to copy and paste it and email it. If I thought it was going to brighten someone’s day, it would be worth the cyber paper it was written on.
Thanks, el burro!
October 7, 2008 at 12:09 pm
This is wonderful. I didn’t see this yesterday when I strolled through.
I also prefer to see the glass half full and see days that are partly sunny.
I agree with Kween. This is so good.
October 8, 2008 at 7:36 am
Beautiful. That post almost reads like poetry. You have such a talent with words, my dear.
Love the Voltaire quote, too. I’ve never heard that one before, and it’s a keeper. I’m going to put it on my screensaver awhile. Thanks!