Rough Sailing..a metaphor

Yesterday I was invited to join a group to go sailing. I do not know sailing. I do love the water. I love to be in, and on it. I was spoiled to have been treated to do nothing....not my usual thing, to do nothing. I sheltered myself under the canopy to watch the crew do their thing. They needed to do it well. It was quite a ride. The wind was more than generous, the waves had their way. Getting out of the harbor proved to be challenging. We rocked and rolled to get the sails up and then out into the Sound, Long Island Sound that is. We ate ginger to settle any signs of sea sickness. That was new. We broke an essential screw on the ........I'll have to ask exactly what it was, which caused a serious harnessing of our captain before going forward with a possible fix. No luck. Deal with what is was the message. The weather front passed overhead, the wind changed direction, we "came about" for our return. We did so in a makeshift way that worked just fine. A Kosher "come about", apparently not.. but.... and so what? We also missed the head of the channel, we (they) improvised our way around the many rocks, lost overboard a cushion recovered it and keep moving. Did we have a choice?

Arriving nearly at our berth I turned back to see the most magnificent fall rusted-green grasses, tree foliage just beginning, and a complimentary sky ever so subtle in pale periwinkle blue and antique rose. Still water, the first we'd seen all day, winked at us and announced a new moon sliver. Soon the big dipper sat righted and held the night sky.

I awakened this morning with a moment of thanks for this sail.... and a wake up call. I realized this rough weather sail was the perfect metaphor for this past weeks upheaval and turbulence; stock market loses, economy slides, and greed demonstrating its impact on our lives. These "disturbances" and the inherent rhetoric dances an emotional dance. I had been pulled into its vortex and the undertow was at work on my emotional buoyancy.

I reflected on our safe return last evening. Where is our emotional safe harbor? The ones I know are the ones inside; our inner spaces and personal sanctuaries. They serve as safe places to berth and take shelter. This storm front shall also pass and in the meantime, we have a choice not to be pulled into the vortex of fear and the unknown. Our better investment is in taking shelter in the one place we have control over. And while we're there, we can Ask for ways to improvise our way through the wind changes as the world continues to rock and roll.

Jill Butler
Author, Illustrator
Create the Space You Deserve
www.jilllbutler.com