I Want To Be Ready
by Steve Goodier
In her book TEACHING A STONE TO TALK (New York: Harper Collins,
1988), Annie Dillard reveals a sad, but poignant story. She tells
of a British Arctic expedition that set sail in 1845 to chart the
Northwest Passage around the Canadian Arctic to the Pacific
Ocean. Neither of the two ships and none of the 138 men aboard
returned.
Dillard argues that Captain Sir John Franklin prepared as if they
were embarking on a pleasure cruise rather than an arduous and
grueling journey through one of earth’s most hostile
environments. He packed a 1,200 volume library, a hand-organ,
china place settings for officers and men, cut-glass wine goblets
and sterling silver flatware, beautifully and intricately
designed. Years later, some of these place settings would be
found near a clump of frozen, cannibalized bodies.
The voyage was doomed when the ships sailed into frigid waters
and became trapped in ice. First ice coated the decks, the spars
and the rigging. Then water froze around the rudders, and the
ships became hopelessly locked in the now-frozen sea.
Sailors set out to search for help (possibly delirious from lead-
poisoning from the cans which preserved their food), but soon
succumbed to severe Arctic weather and died of exposure to its
harsh winds and subfreezing temperatures. For the next twenty
years, remains of the expedition were found all over the frozen
landscape.
Dillard reports that the crew did not prepare either for the cold
or for the eventuality of the ships becoming ice-locked. On a
voyage that was to last two to three years, they packed only
their Navy-issue uniforms and the captain carried just a 12-day
supply of coal for the auxiliary steam engines. The frozen body
of an officer was eventually found, miles from the vessel,
wearing his uniform of fine blue cloth, edged with silk braid, a
blue greatcoat and a silk neckerchief - clothing which was noble
and respectful, but wholly inadequate.
Historians may doubt the wisdom of such an ill-prepared journey.
But more important for us is the question: Are we, too, prepared
for the important voyage we’ve embarked upon, that journey we
call "life"? I want to be as ready as possible for whatever may
lie ahead.
I try to prepare myself for the future in several ways:
* Intimacy: I need some caring people in my life.
* Work & Finance: I like to work hard, pay my way and help others
where possible.
* Spiritual Life: When I am spiritually centered and at peace, I
can handle most things.
* Service to Others: A lake with no outlet becomes a dead sea.
It’s true with people, too.
* Mind and Body: Exercising my body as well as my mind helps them
both work better.
* Attitude Adjustments: I really can control my outlook and
attitudes.
* Emotions: I can also control my reactions, including anger.
* Relationships: I need to make sure my relationships are
healthy.
As long as we are alive, our journey is not over. And in large
part, the success of our voyage will be determined by our regular
and systematic preparation.
I want to be ready.
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Steve Goodier Publisher@LifeSupportSystem.com is a professional
speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site
for more information, or to sign up for his FREE newsletter of
Life, Love and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.