Everyday Canvas

The Ocean and Life

The sea is a cruel mistress. So is life. Write about your views on this.

===================

I believe the origin of this saying belongs to Joseph Conrad who sailed to the Belgian Congo and wrote about it. I loved reading The Heart of Darkness way back when and I believe I wrote a review of it in WdC, a long time ago. The adjective in the original quote wasn’t “cruel” though, but “harsh.”

As for me, I love the ocean and the beach. At one time in my life, I used to swim in the ocean, being young and fearless then. Now that old age hit, I won’t even wade in the water even if it is up to my knees. Where I live, sharks have been known to bite people in four-feet depths. So I am taking no chances.

Then, about life, it is quite the opposite. Yes, it can be cruel, but its cruelty has never made me stop living…so far. I kind of wade in it very carefully or sometimes sink in it on purpose, just for laughs. After all, we’re all fated to die from the minute we take our first breath.

Plus, I have no bucket list. I never had. I go with the moment because of experience, the experience of carefully made plans getting twisted into something else at the end. Not that I am complaining. Those something elses have been quite good to me when all was said and done.

One can fear the sharks in the ocean or sinking or bad weather wrecking the boat. Although life can do the same things, it’s all we have. We can stop swimming in the ocean, but with life, we just can’t stop and we mustn’t fear it, either. Life doesn’t honor fear; instead, it has a soft spot for hope.