The Gospel of Dale's Yacht Basin
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Little did I know growing up, that everything I needed for a meaningful life was right before my eyes. It wasn’t written on the wall. It was written on a huge boat warehouse. There, as plain as the waves splashing against my boat, were the words, “Fuel, Bait, and Ice.” All I needed to do was apply them to my life, and I would have a real shot at a happy voyage.
Fuel
To live fully, we must have fuel. Of course, we need fuel to sustain our bodies and, like the fuel we put in our cars, there is good fuel and mediocre. I am no expert on nutrition (clearly), but I am convinced the quality of the fuel we use plays a bigger role in our well-being than we imagine.
What I also know is we need spiritual fuel as well. Too often we operate on automatic pilot and forget we need to put something into our tank if we have a chance of moving forward. Whether sitting quietly, reading something meaningful/inspirational, or walking, it is essential we fill up our tanks before we venture out on the seas beyond the harbors.
Bait
“Well,” said the wise old fisherman, “They’re not just going to jump in the boat. You need bait, boy! What the hell are they teaching in schools these days?”
He was right, the fish were not going to jump into the boat, nor would the opportunities of my life. I needed to put bait on the hook. I needed to make the effort to call the potential contact; I needed to follow my instincts, even if I wasn’t sure where they would lead. The world eagerly awaits our participation, but we need to show up, or as the fisherman would say, bait the hook.
Ice
In my childhood home, I didn’t need a clock to tell me when it was 5:00. The sound of ice entering a glass was as predictable as the tides. Still, the memory of the sound reminds me of the gift of sitting with those we love and talking about our days. We were not brought into this world just to work. There must be time to put our work aside (and cell phones, computers, and televisions), grab the ice, and just be present.
Ice can also reduce swelling when we injure ourselves. Like a five o’clock talk, ice can help us heal. So, whether in a glass, or applied to a wound, ice reminds us to slow down, otherwise we are sure to burn out.
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It’s never too late to read the words that were before me as a child, or to recall lessons taught, or advice given at the dining room table. This Lent, I think I’ll pull my boat up to the dock, refuel, get some bait, and also some ice.