Sweet Sunny Sleep

Sailing vessel Island Bound running before the wind
 under her sunny spinnaker
As you've probably gathered if you've been feeling the rhythm of this blog, I like to occasionally interject sailing-related quotes. Though the words in the quotes are not my own, most all have inspired me to write, to think, and to reflect. Words have the power to take our minds on a journey to another place and another time. This morning I made the mistake of watching the Saturday news. The opening four stories featured war (nuclear weapon "achievements" in Iran), murder (the Powell tragedy in Utah), religion feuding with government (contraception and the Catholic church), and child abuse (Sandusky molestation trial). "Kids, cover your eyes and ears, dad needs to find the off button!" How very thankful I am that there isn't a television cable long enough to reach my little sloop when she leaves the chaos of the shore.

And so today I bring you this quote...

"There's no opium so sweet as the unguarded sunny sleep on the deck of a boat when it's after lunch in summer and you don't know when you are going to arrive nor what port you will land at, when you've forgotten east and west and your name and your address and how much money you have in your pocket."


Those are the words of American novelist and artist, John Dos Passos. Many (most) of Passos' writing is political at some level, and while I'm not long for politics and it seems there will be almost no escape from election rhetoric over the coming year, I like the quote. It's soothing here in February to close my eyes and feel the July warmth of "sunny sleep" on Island Bound's deck. I've already written about the freedom described in the second part of the Passos' quote, but I think it's telling that someone as political as Passos can find escape on the deck of a boat too.

So whether you're reading this in the office, at home, at school, or on your boat, take a moment to feel the the warmth and refreshment of a "sunny sleep". 

Comments

  1. Shesails.net19 February

    Ha! You should check out my post on the same subject. Great minds think alike! :) http://www.shesails.net/2012/01/a-special-kind-of-nap/

    ReplyDelete

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