Sail On, My Friend

A ship is a vessel. If it is strong and seaworthy, it will carry much, and far.
A friendship is aptly named.

Ours has been tried and tested. Ours has proven strong and seaworthy. Ours has carried much, and far.

Joy, hope, trust, delight, wonder, anxiety, fear, worry, pain, anger - all have been its cargo. Miles and years has it sailed through.

And it sails on, no part of it worn or broken, every test of its endurance serving only to make it stronger, to increase its capacity.

We have been anchored here for a time. Now we set sail again. Where you go, I go with you in spirit.

And if I cry a little (or a lot) at your departure, know that they are tears of shared joy and excitement at the prospect of your adventure.

I love you.

The Beast

(Author's note: Today is my birthday - nevermind which one - and to mark the occassion I would like to share with you a poem I wrote when I was in my early twenties. I do not claim to be a poet, I just feel this piece is worthy to share. I hope you agree.)


Faster now, the Beast approaches,
never ceasing, never changing.
Dark, the shadow that encroaches,
ever larger, wider ranging.
I dare not turn to see the danger,
lest my foot slip, and I stumble.
My heart's eye can see the stranger,
I can hear it growl and grumble.
"Let me be!" I call behind me,
begging, pleading for reprieve.
Howling answers to remind me
that no pardon I'll receive.
Closer now, and I can feel it
breathing, hot upon my nape.
Reaching for my life, to steal it,
while I vainly seek escape.
"Speak my name" the Beast is urging
in that dark and dreadful voice.
I can feel it's anger surging,
yet I contemplate the choice.
Part of me would stop, submitting,
to have peace at last, and rest.
Even reaching out, permitting
it to pull me to it's breast.
What consequence I might endure
on giving up this manic race,
I can't be altogether sure,
except I stop the frightful chase.
I will stop, I am decided.
I am through, the Beast has won,
though the fear that has resided
in me cries to carry on.
Stopping, turning, fear receding
as it reaches to receive me.
Now the 'Beast' more gently pleading,
seems to offer to relieve me.
"Speak my name" it whispers over,
looking softly down at me.
And I say it, like a lover -
"Responsibility".

um, excuse me, is anyone listening?

I don't really 'surf' the web (do they still call it that?). What I do would be more akin to paddling around in the shallows. I may wade in a little deeper from time to time, but I usually end up running headlong into some hideous web-monster that leaves me wishing I had stayed ashore, blissfully ignorant of what's out there.

According to internetworldstats.com, 28.7% of the world's population currently has web access. That's almost two billion people who are or could be online at any given time. Understand that this is an information portal, folks. A means of instant communication. With nearly two billion minds able to receive and disseminate information instantaneously, how is it that I keep getting bombarded with crap? Oh, and thanks to the magic that is spam, I don't even have to go looking to find the crap, it finds me!

Imagine having to reproduce, on paper, all the so-called 'information' being dispensed on the internet. Or, worse yet, imagine having all that digital 'noise' vocalized! Have you ever tried to concentrate in a classroom where everyone else was talking? And based on the abundance of poor grammar and misinformation, it seems that everyone is talking, all at once, so nobody's listening.

I know that there is a wealth of good, useful information to be had out there, and I will now and then find some of it. I just think I'd be much more inclined to dive a little deeper in search of the treasure, if I occassionally found something noteworthy near the shore.