Our Life Voyage

I frequently think in terms of metaphors.  Here is a metaphor for today.  My wife and I will be shortly leaving on a trip from which we plan to return; however, this will be just a small trip compared to the larger one we are on in which it is embedded.

A metaphor I have often contemplated is that we have been on a life voyage on a ‘vessel’ of some sort: some of us on a rather large ship serving as crew under a captain and ship officers, others as passengers.  Now and then our ship pauses briefly for a few of those on board to debark on little skiffs to an intermediate port while others come on board.  Those who debarked, hopefully, will reboard our ship and continue to our final destination where we will all, in our turn board small skiffs to take us to land. 

All ships, with their many passengers, come in time to what will be their home harbor.  Many of our friends are with us on our swift ship, and  if we don’t jump overboard, are headed toward a harbor that is not as distant as we might think—a glorious and peaceful harbor.  Then we will each board our small skiff to row in until it touches the clean white sands of the beach. We just might get there before yours arrives, and if we do we’ll leave our colors flying and the light on for you. 

Others, on their ships, unfortunately will arrive at a harbor that will not be nearly as desirable, filled with rusting barges on a mud flat with the tide  perpetually out. 

    

As you travel life’s voyage may you take your bearings toward a deep and fair harbor and not be blown off course.  Nevertheless, we will all come eventually to a harbor toward which our skiff was pointed, whether by our design or by a stronger wind and tide to which we succumbed.   May we all follow the Captain of our Souls and keep our bearings through the storms of life.  Remember, all storms come to an end. 

I am reminded of Rudyard Kipling’s Recessional containing these lines, which I have quoted before: 

           “The tumult and the shouting dies,

The captains and the kings depart,

Still stands thine ancient sacrifice

A broken and a contrite heart.

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet

Lest we forget, lest we forget.” 

We will not forget where we have been and we have yet to go—and what it will take to get there. 

 

Our ship and its Captain are true and faithful.  We will never give up the ship until we arrive on our chosen shore.  And then I suspect we will find there that our Captain is already there.