Sailing
Sailing ... a metaphor for Life
Loose watercolor and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025
I find myself returning to sailing ... there's something very stark
Each outing is as unpredictable as life itself, on which we all embark
Each outing is as unpredictable as life itself, on which we all embark
Navigating through the day, you suddenly trim the sail to go full speed
And just as quickly you starting luffing up, proceeding slowly if you need
You can't master sailing or life, reading books. You have to experience it
Life too requires us to cast out into deep waters, takes courage and grit
Being open to learning from your mistakes can make all the difference
Between learning the ropes to success or drowning in your ignorance
Comments
Your watercolor reminded me of that and I promptly heard it a couple of times….. :-) (WhatsApp comment on a alumnus group)
The day was wrapped in quiet light,
The sky an endless crystal blue.
Across the fields the ripened grain
Glowed like memories of another life.
I waited on the riverbank,
My harvest gathered close—
All the hopes I had ever sown.
Then, upon the shimmering water,
A boat appeared—bright as a wandering star.
Its golden sides caught the wind,
Its sails whispered like wings of heaven.
I called, heart trembling,
“Come to me, traveler of distant realms—
Carry my harvest to the unknown shore!”
The boatman guided his radiant craft to mine.
I laid my sheaves before him,
Each one a promise, a prayer,
A story of the seasons of my soul.
But when I reached to keep just one small sheaf,
A token for my empty hands—
The golden boat was already drifting away.
Down the river of time it glided,
Silent, serene, inevitable.
It carried everything—
The dreams I gathered, the years I lived—
Into a horizon where earth meets sky
And all things return to light.
I stood alone on the water’s edge,
Heart emptied, soul shining,
Watching the golden boat fade
Into the eternal hush of evening.
It’s not as easy as it sounds. I could’ve stopped 3 brush strokes earlier but I live and learn - Kieran
But I get a tad sea sick making it not the greatest experience.
At one of our retreats at the WB we went on the Chesapeake to sail a boat
Each of us was given a task and together we had to sail the boat
It was a lot of work and we had to work together 😊
Do you have your own boat?
(Signal comment from a dear friend who is also very thoughtful)
No I don’t own a boat (I was never into expensive accouterments) and the closest I have ever gotten to sailing is watching the National sailing contests at Khadakwasla Lake. At COEP, we only had row boats. All my imagery is from my imagination - Kieran