"Perhaps though,
the largest part of what I will miss has got to be the waking up every
day, knowing that you are partaking in something life changing and the
knowledge that we only have a handful of opportunities in life that make you
feel like you are truly living and that this has been one of them."
I have copied and pasted the words above.(hope you don't mind Dale but couldn't ask you!) They were written a few days ago by Dale Smyth - skipper of Dare to Lead in the 2017-18 Clipper round the world race. The race started from Liverpool in August last year and finishes today in Liverpool after circumnavigating the globe.
When DTL crosses the line today Dale and a handful of his crew would have sailed the whole 40000 miles. They are circumnavigators. It literally brings tears to my eyes thinking about the enormity of what they have achieved - the tests they have been through and the dogged determination they have shown. There can be no doubt - what they have done is epic. It has been a massive examination of their character and skills and they have come through it. It would be hard to respect a group of people more. They must be feeling a wonderful sense of satisfaction now.
But this is a personal blog and I have been thinking about Dale's words above. (Dale was my skipper on the 6000 mile (leg 6) North Pacific crossing so I have sailed with these special people - the circumnavigators.) The Clipper promo logo is "the race of your life" and it promises it will be life changing. It is not a hollow claim. It is not just words. I have no doubt it has been life changing. I only completed one leg - but I recognise it has left a mark. In some ways the mark is unsettling. I think Dale has hit what it is right on the head. It is the sense you are truly living - and that sense is potentially addictive and certainly leads to a degree of soul searching.
So what is the point of this blog? I guess it is about soul searching and what truly living means.
I have never subscribed to the view you should live every day as if it were your last. It is not realistic - more than that it is probably selfish - because we all have other people in our lives that are important - that we love - whose needs often rank higher in our minds than our own. Having acknowledged that it is also too easy in life to find excuses not to do things - things that are challenging - things that take effort - things that take you out of your comfort zone. The sad thing about that is they are often the things that are also the most fulfilling - the most satisfying - so you might be missing out if you fail to put it on the line.
Since Clipper I will admit to a degree of soul searching. There is an age dimension to it too perhaps. A thought/sense that as you get older - if I don't do it now I never will!
Some of the time I think I have done a lot and I should feel sated and relaxed with that. I have been self employed most of my life. I have done some hard treks - some altitude stuff - I have run a marathon - I have sailed across the Bay of Biscay and the Pacific - I have travelled a lot - done more than many people - just chill - draw on that. I do feel like that.
However at other times I reflect on the things I have done when I have pushed myself and know how I felt at the end. It is a fantastic feeling. It is addictive and hard to feel you do not want more of it. Goodness knows what the circumnavigators will be feeling. It is hard to imagine how they will come down from the high they must be feeling - the feeling as Dale says of "truly living". What can follow it. What next. How to settle back into something more normal. It will be hugely challenging but what a fantastic problem to have.
For myself - as ever I recognise what is needed is balance. I cannot hang my boots up yet. I will have to find at least one more challenge - ha! But on a serious note maybe "truly living" is living a good family life - making a good fist of the day to day stuff. Doing epics - the big tickets might be something else - something beautiful - of another world. How often you can go to this special world I am not sure. I have a sense that if you try and go there too often it will lose something - maybe not quite so special - or the price will be too high. But it is shame if we cannot all have a sense of that special world at some point in our life - but be warned it becomes addictive - it can be unsettling - but nonetheless GO FOR IT. MAKE IT HAPPEN is my advice. xxxx
I have copied and pasted the words above.(hope you don't mind Dale but couldn't ask you!) They were written a few days ago by Dale Smyth - skipper of Dare to Lead in the 2017-18 Clipper round the world race. The race started from Liverpool in August last year and finishes today in Liverpool after circumnavigating the globe.
When DTL crosses the line today Dale and a handful of his crew would have sailed the whole 40000 miles. They are circumnavigators. It literally brings tears to my eyes thinking about the enormity of what they have achieved - the tests they have been through and the dogged determination they have shown. There can be no doubt - what they have done is epic. It has been a massive examination of their character and skills and they have come through it. It would be hard to respect a group of people more. They must be feeling a wonderful sense of satisfaction now.
But this is a personal blog and I have been thinking about Dale's words above. (Dale was my skipper on the 6000 mile (leg 6) North Pacific crossing so I have sailed with these special people - the circumnavigators.) The Clipper promo logo is "the race of your life" and it promises it will be life changing. It is not a hollow claim. It is not just words. I have no doubt it has been life changing. I only completed one leg - but I recognise it has left a mark. In some ways the mark is unsettling. I think Dale has hit what it is right on the head. It is the sense you are truly living - and that sense is potentially addictive and certainly leads to a degree of soul searching.
So what is the point of this blog? I guess it is about soul searching and what truly living means.
I have never subscribed to the view you should live every day as if it were your last. It is not realistic - more than that it is probably selfish - because we all have other people in our lives that are important - that we love - whose needs often rank higher in our minds than our own. Having acknowledged that it is also too easy in life to find excuses not to do things - things that are challenging - things that take effort - things that take you out of your comfort zone. The sad thing about that is they are often the things that are also the most fulfilling - the most satisfying - so you might be missing out if you fail to put it on the line.
Since Clipper I will admit to a degree of soul searching. There is an age dimension to it too perhaps. A thought/sense that as you get older - if I don't do it now I never will!
Some of the time I think I have done a lot and I should feel sated and relaxed with that. I have been self employed most of my life. I have done some hard treks - some altitude stuff - I have run a marathon - I have sailed across the Bay of Biscay and the Pacific - I have travelled a lot - done more than many people - just chill - draw on that. I do feel like that.
However at other times I reflect on the things I have done when I have pushed myself and know how I felt at the end. It is a fantastic feeling. It is addictive and hard to feel you do not want more of it. Goodness knows what the circumnavigators will be feeling. It is hard to imagine how they will come down from the high they must be feeling - the feeling as Dale says of "truly living". What can follow it. What next. How to settle back into something more normal. It will be hugely challenging but what a fantastic problem to have.
For myself - as ever I recognise what is needed is balance. I cannot hang my boots up yet. I will have to find at least one more challenge - ha! But on a serious note maybe "truly living" is living a good family life - making a good fist of the day to day stuff. Doing epics - the big tickets might be something else - something beautiful - of another world. How often you can go to this special world I am not sure. I have a sense that if you try and go there too often it will lose something - maybe not quite so special - or the price will be too high. But it is shame if we cannot all have a sense of that special world at some point in our life - but be warned it becomes addictive - it can be unsettling - but nonetheless GO FOR IT. MAKE IT HAPPEN is my advice. xxxx
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