You are reading a guy who loves to see a ships bow cutting through deep blue water. I also love to stand on the fan tail and watch the ships wake as she steams on. A lot of my time at sea when not actually on duty was all the way forward or back aft. I once told my skipper, if you would let me have my wife aboard, I would volunteer to stay at sea.
That is a ships wake. Now it is possible from the air to see the wake as far as two miles behind the ship, on smooth seas. But normally after a half mile the water settles as though we had not been there. You cannot follow a ship by it’s wake.
To maneuver at sea you need the stars and or instruments.
Ah, but not so land. On land men leave paths. Daniel Boone left a path across the blue Ridge mountains so thousands could get to Tennessee and Kentucky.
The Santa Fe trail still shows signs of where thousands of wagons traveled long before pavement or interstates.
Some people in life leave a path of memories. It may not last as long as the Santa Fe trail but it will last sometimes over a hundred years. We were fortunate to know our parents. They lived so they made deep tracks for us to follow. I know our parent’s tracks (Lives and teachings) will exceed a hundred years. That is good for a common man.
Some folks trails/paths/lives are more like a wake. They are so self centered they do not have time to mark a trail, therefore their lives are like a bolt of lightening, they enjoy a bright flash and then it is gone.
You are not going to make everyone happy, or have everyone understand. BUT we can do that good deed, show love to others, smile or be a shoulder for someone to cry on. I like the idea someone set up to spread, ‘Pay it forward’. A random act of kindness.
MOST folk leave a path, not a wake. Most of us care about our fellow man, I think that counts a lot. There are good folk all over the world. Most leave paths for their family and fellow man to follow.
It was just on my mind. I love to see a wake at sea, but in life and ashore I want a path.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Metaphors are fun at times, I think I over do it a little. LOL
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This is a pretty Hudson.
Do you ever get confused with directions? LOL
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12 comments:
I love seeing the wake of a ship too. But the biggest boat I've been in recently was a pontoon. You are right about most people leaving a path instead.
The ocean always scared me perhaps because I'm not a good swimmer!
I love this topic about a path or a wake................
Excellent Post!
Hugs to my favorite couple!
Very interesting entry. As close as we are to the coast I had never been there until after my girls were in elementary school. I would almost bet my Daddy died never having gone there. Guess it is kind of overwhelming to me and I don't care for boats. John's b-i-l owned a fishing business in Alaska and you could only get there by air. I can't imagine working out there and not setting foot on shore during fishing season. In fact he died out there after having sold the business but was staying a certain length of time until he taught the new owners. Sorry so long.
wake, path or bright flash? hmmmm the one true and important thing I've ever done was to take care of Don for 13 years...I doubt if I created a path...maybe a wake...that can be seen for a while from the air then is gone leaving the ocean undisturbed
"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness or abilities that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." William Penn Quaker
Nice post.
bonnie
There are no sureties, but a good parental path is a blessing. ~Mary
Good blog and beautiful, You know
me I have got to keep both feet
on the ground.
I don't mind a boat ride on the lake. I am not to found of getting out in the ocean.
I'm not so sure about a life at sea, but put me in the middle of nowhere, trees and creeks, lakes, around me, and I would be in my own little bit of heaven.
Now, I have to go back a couple weeks and see what you've been up to. Phew, I have a lot of reading to do.
Blessings...going good
Uh, Jack - how did you get a photo of the sign Congress uses for direction? Just askin'...
That is a fine Hudson!
Dodge City is calm now - but what a colorful past!
Great post today. That Santa Fe trail must have been something else to see. Every time I think about what others went through to settle in our country, it makes me proud to be an American. It's to be a bit tropical here in Ohio today in the high 80's. My sisters and I are going to visit the shores of Lake Erie and feel the breezes. No boat trip just a walk on the shore.
I am not to fond of being on the water. Can't swim. This is a good entry and you and Sherry look great.
I love this one - you are so right - I think the one thing we can leave here on earth - the only thing - is the work we have done here or a good path. Sandie
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