Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore
Me: (CRASH!)
Her: (running to room) Did you fall down again?
Me: (from floor) My leg gave out from under me.
At the end of 2012, said that there was one part of the body that is called two different things, depending on how it’s held. This time, I’m starting out talking about my leg.
In The Man in the Iron Mask, one of the Three Musketeers – Porthos – was six feet from the ocean and freedom but found that he couldn’t move his legs.
“Oh, oh!” murmured he, “there is my fatigue seizing me again! I can walk no farther! What is this?”
He holds himself up by the sides of the wall before finally collapsing and dying.
When I was a kid, it didn’t make sense to me that he couldn’t control his legs. In my situation, my good leg had fallen asleep and my bad leg was just weak so down I went. While getting up, I thought of that story.
Started out this year by talking about how there’s no word that means, Becomes stronger when stressed and how a fella named Talab coined the phrase Anti-fragile. Which is good because there were plenty of low points this past year – some happened around us like my aunt passing and the Boston bombings happened around my birthday.
Some other pretty bad things happened to us personally, and I suppose that’s something I’ll tell you about some day.
But we had a lot of good times too.
There were the outings like to museums in the beginning and end of the year. And a trip to Bermuda in-between. We even stayed at a hotel just a few blocks from our house.
We also had friends come visit us, like the one that came down from Maine with lobsters in tow. And those I went to see, like when my buddy and I went to ComicCon for the first time.
And speaking of food, there was so much of it. Southern food near me, hot dogs in the middle of the ocean, Australian meat pies (but from NYC), pizza around the way, and bar food in midtown, just to name a few.
And drink, both the usual rum fare like pina coladas in Jersey, daiquiris and the occasional Old Fashion to round things out.
To keep me from becoming a huge fatty-fat-fat, kept wrasslin and fencing. On that note, my BJJ coach opened up his own school called Radical MMA in midtown.
It was a big step for him and a lifelong dream. So I sent him one of my favourite quotes from Lord Chesterfield that goes, Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.
I like it cause it reminds me that we have to fight the inertia and take our chances in life. To lose sight of that comfortable shore.
In the Man in the Iron Mask, Porthos struggles and can’t get back up to his feet. Even with the help of his friends. He can see the ocean but cannot reach it. At some point, that’s our fate, I suppose.
For now, I can still struggle to my feet and do.
And I am humbled to have friends and family to help me along the way.
It’s almost 2014, what new oceans can we find?
Her: (holding out her hand) Here, let me help you.
Me: (taking hand) Thanks. (laughing) Man…I’m so old.
Location: at the end of one year, ready for another
Mood: hopeful
Music: What are you doing, New Year’s Eve?
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3 replies on “2013 Year in Review / New Oceans”
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