Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A bright shining day

Yesterday was one of those bight shining days.  It was great to escape the heat inshore and spend over ten hours on the water.  I enjoyed the scenery, the conversation and the quiet times when no words were needed.

We talked a lot about what it means to not be fully accepted in a society that appears to welcome you with open arms, but still holds you at arm's length.  I cannot compare my experience to that of someone who has lived through periods of racial hatred.  I have not experienced hatred at such a level in my life.  And I can think of no one that I have hated.

I do know that there are situations where I too have felt unwelcome.  Mostly those situations were related to my intolerance of what I perceived as critical scrutiny and judging by others.  I was particularly intolerant of inflated egos.  And yet I would stick around, hoping to be a part of something that was simply fueling resentment.

I remember a particular experience that I had as a young professional in which I waited for over 15 minutes to say hello to an old professor who was a "star" in her field. I began to fume more and more as I waited for her to acknowledge me. It was my shortcoming to accept the unacceptable and not simply wave at her and move away. That taught me a lesson that I still remember.  I no longer want to be around or cater to the insufferable ego. 

That's why it's great to be around people who are genuine and not trying to inflate themselves.  And that is what made the day so enjoyable.  I felt that I made some friends yesterday.  And that we got along because it was simply genuine people talking to one another.  No one was playing to ego.  And to talk to someone who has a definite interest in helping others overcome barriers of poverty and racial prejudice was inspiring.  

I have to say that I was tired after such a long day.  I had no trouble sleeping peacefully, still feeling the slight rocking motion of the boat, even though I was on land.  I find that rocking motion comforting, as my body gradually makes the transition back to terra firma. 

So here are a few more photos from yesterday's journey.  It was indeed a bright and shining day.  

11 comments:

  1. Beautiful....thank you for sharing this experience and your lessons. Thanks for the pictures. How wonderful to spend this time on the water and make new friends. Blessings on YOU!

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  2. So the visit turned out to be even better than you figured it might be. Cool!! You got some great pictures while you were out there on the water. I am glad for you that you had this time to visit with such interesting people.

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  3. Sounds like paradise to me! I love to be with friends when there is absolutely no tension in the room. Now that I am in AA I find that more often than not ... not like the "good old days". Ha!

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  4. What an excellent day it must have been, all the way around. I'm so glad you've met these incredible people.

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  5. Egos are a challenge - mine and others. (As a Leo and an alcoholic, I think I've got it especially hard. Poor, poor me LOL!) Thanks for the lovely photos :)

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  6. Syd, your pictures make me sigh at their beauty. Lucky you. I know what you mean, I try to teach my children to be leaders not followers. That people who are into themselves usually only think of themselves. I too now enjoy being with genuine people, and I enjoy myself when I can be genuine too. I'm glad you had such a great day......

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  7. that old boat is covered in quite a few barnacles...takes a bit of work o scrape them off...kinda like old habits....nicely said syd...i like being around real people as well...

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  8. Great photos thank you for sharing them.

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  9. Your posts always fill me with peace Syd. Lovely photos and important lesson. You just rock!

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  10. Thanks for sharing this, Syd! This post left me feeling inspired

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