Sailing

I had lunch with a friend near the local marina looking out over the water there were a number of different size boats docked there. It was cold and not much activity except there was one sailboat that they were replacing the sail. It was fresh and white and flapping pretty wildly because only one end was secured. It was beautiful and reminded me of clean sheets on a clothes line.

I have always loved the look of sailboats and have been on a few. My first experience was when I was about 10 we during a visit to my aunt’s house. We made this trip to Michigan every year; she lived on a lake and owned several motor boats. Everyone but me loved take rides across the lake every day. It was too noisy and smelly for me and I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. One day their pastor brought over his sailboat and offered to take me across the lake. I thought it was the most amazing thing quiet and powered only by the wind. Every visit after that I would try to get him to take me back out. I am a land lover at heart and don’t like to get wet but the appeal of those sails and the beauty of the wind has made at least dream about it.

During this mornings meditations it occurred to me that God is in charge of our lives and our individual sailboats. Sometimes we sail past the people we love and sometimes our own journey is slow because our sail becomes worn and tattered and needs to be replaced. Accepting that it is time to make a change can be painful but if we want to get a fresh new sail we have to let go and let God.