While sailing northward in British Columbia yesterday on a beautiful gentle breeze day, I was thinking about how I was feeling the true sense of freedom that can come with sailing that I had been dreaming about when writing this song, “Freedom’s Call.” Feeling that breeze on my cheek connected with the unmistakable sense of freedom I was feeling felt like another wonderful moment of manifestation.
Sailing up in British Columbia waters is truly a gift I don’t take for granted. I hadn’t expected to love it quite as much as I do. Even when you work toward something, you still never know what that something is going to be like until you actually experience it.
Most everything I do these days is infused with the understanding that life is almost always shorter than we think and the opportunity to do something with the time I have is not something to be passed up where possible. Opportunities fade in life, higher tides returns washing away dream castles, mountains once hoped to climb become ever more steep with the passing years. Paint dries. Getting this boat and shoving off has taken far too long, yet gratefully I’m still in a position to fully enjoy the opportunities it presents.
And take note: Resistance remains real, even when the opportunity remains within grasp.
Nearly every time we’ve settled into an anchorage or marina somewhere, it becomes gradually more comfortable to simply stay there and enjoy the relaxation that can come. Moving onward takes a surprising amount of effort and yet the reward is nearly always immediate. A sense of freedom and excitement starts as soon as the anchor is raised and we’re underway.
I suggested you take note because there is doubtless something you’d like to move forward with in your life. Comfort zones can be life killers. Pay attention to inner voices, fears, encumbrances, and do your best to do what it takes to overcome the resistance. The payoff is likely far more worthwhile than the comfort you may harvest from staying right where you are. My partner and I have an expression we like to use when confronted with a “do-we-stay-or-do-we-go” conundrum:
“Tie goes to the adventure.”
If you’re truly not certain, consider leaning toward that which is a more expansive way of living.
As the sailing season for many draws to a close up here, aside from the cormorants we remain with fewer and fewer floating neighbors. We’ve also traveled further northward in the Strait of Georgia which naturally weans out most weekenders. It’s splendid territory up here and it’s getting harder to think of heading back to our winter moorage and leaving Juniper behind. For now we’re still venturing forth, and likely will hitch a ride northward on a short-lived southerly wind forecast for tomorrow.
Anyway, here is “Freedom’s Call.” I hope you’ll enjoy it and a few of the sailing images interspersed throughout the video. Lyrics below:
Lyrics:
There’s a yearning that’s getting harder to contain,
That keeps returning, Freedom’s Call to break the chain.(chorus)
You must agree, to trust the tide,
The wind is free, the world is wide.
It’s time to see, the other side,
We go by sea, come on… let’s fly.Everybody, always askin’ “how you been?”
If you really told them, you really think they’d ask again?(chorus)
I won’t take it, tell me who of you will take the fall?
Can’t you hear it? That ocean breeze, that’s Freedom’s Call.(chorus)
Can’t you hear it? That ocean breeze, that’s Freedom’s Call.
©Ted Evan Seymour