Closing in on St.Helena

What is it about sailing that draws one time after time to find one self
out here on the big blue once again. Is it the solitude, the vast expanses
of ocean around you, the close connection with all the heavenly bodies,
or is it a touch of madness, a dash of adventurous spirit, or is it simply
just in your blood ? I think it is different for everyone, a few reasons
would be the same, but at the core there are as many reasons as there are
individuals who cross the oceans. And good that we are all different, and
can share our experiences with each other and enrich each other. If we
were all born to be teachers there would be nobody to teach, if we were
all doctors there would be no patients, if we were all lawyers we would
all be suing each other.
Not everybody is doing what they want to do, for a lot of people their
occupation is simply a means to an end. A way of earning an income and
support a certain standard of living. Many have not much choice in the
matter, trapped in a situation from which they cannot easily escape. And
we dream that one day we will be able to follow our dreams, but time is
limited, very limited, and before you know, death is knocking at your
door. Dare to dream is easy enough to write, but it leads to utter
frustration if our dreams cannot be attained. Dream big we are told by
some, or rather don't dream at all, then you won't be disappointed . And
here and there through the cracks of our everyday existence our spirit
cries for wings, but we rather fill the cracks with all types of
meaningless activities and pretend our spirit does not exist. We suffer
hugely, and such is life, the spirit will not be denied. You are born
alone and you will die alone, and you alone is responsible for what you do
with your experience we call life.
Through the general media we are fed all types of crap for want of a
better word. Our focus is directed to the more material things in life, to
the financial benefit of a few, and the spiritual demise of the masses.
And so we are enslaved, led to believe that if you buy this car you will
be happy, if you where that perfume you will be irresistible, if you eat
KFC your hunger will be stilled. But for how long before the artificial
feeling good feeling wears off. And we are once again searching for the
next thrill to shield us from really feeling good. I enjoy kfc now and
then, or even Mc Donald's fills the gap and quick, and a every car to me
is an expression of freedom, and expensive perfume does smell divine.
There is a place for all these things . The yacht I am sailing is R 6 500
000, so I am no stranger to the "good" life. But does it make me better
than you ? I am afraid not. Most people think if they have big cars, big
houses and big overdraft facilities they are better than the local beggar.
But when they go and sleep at night the spirit seeps through the cracks
again and in the morning when you look into the mirror, who are you really
? But before it bothers me to much, I am back in the rat race, wasting my
time hoping that one day I will escape from this self-imposed prison I
find myself in.
And one good morning you wake up and realize that it is all just a vast
emptiness, and the hollow feeling inside can no longer be pacified. What
the on earth do you do ? Just get up and carry on ? Or do you start to
realize that there is more to life than what you have been having so far.
We cannot escape pain and hurt and disappointment but we can see the
purpose of these things in our lives. We can rise above our circumstances
and let our spirit free. And we are then free to become what we were
created to be. The more I know the more I know how little I know. I have
far more questions than answers. And perhaps that is why I sail, to get
away from the all mental pollution. I see the sun rise every morning and
set every night, I watch the moon wax and wane, I notice the stars and the
clouds, the storms and the rainbows. Who writes the script for all these
things that have been there long before I was born and will be there long
after I have moved on. All I really know is that things change all the
time, and other things stay the same. I trust I have the courage to change
where I need to, and learn more about the things that never change.
Oh yes, nearly forgot that I am doing a sailing blog, the above really
just writing for myself. Hahahahaha !!!!. Ok serious, if I measure the
earth at the equator and calculate my nautical miles sailed, I have sailed
more than seven times around the world. I love the Leopard 48, she is the
loveliest boat I have sailed so far. We expect to arrive at St.Helena
Island tomorrow night . We have had fantastic weather thus far, motoring
just now and then to charge our batteries. Our current position at 11am
SA time is 17*42'S and 002*01'W. Yes, we crossed over ton the western
hemisphere yesterday at about noon. Have yourself a wonderful weekend and
make the most of life. Love is all you need.