The Seabird
Remembering the first time that I went fishing with my father, I still feel the cold morning fog against my face as we rowed to the mooring where the Seabird was moored. The seat was wet in the skiff, and I was shivering. The smell of the salt air was fresh in my nostrils, and my Dad was sitting next to me as his crewman rowed toward the boat.
The morning started with a pancake breakfast at the Chuck Wagon restaurant. All of the fishermen were there, and they were giving me a fisherman’s welcome. I was all of eight years old, and this was a big day. It was my turn to go with my dad. I remember being very happy and very excited.
It was all so foreign to me and so adventurous. The Seabird was a 40-foot wood salmon troller and my Dad also fished for tuna and crab. Today we would be chasing salmon.
I remember the roll of the boat and the smell of the diesel stove in the galley. I can still see my first caught salmon lying on the deck. I remember how proud I was that I did not get sick that day. I remember walking back to his truck to go home and how I felt as if I was still on the boat, swaying back and forth as I walked.
I always dreamed about being the captain someday…
That was a special day that is blazed into my mind. We all have memories of our childhood that are stored into the hard drives of our mind. Buried so deep that we may have to dig deep to get them to come back.
For years, I spent my life as a fisherman and a captain. For years, I felt that I would die of old age as a fisherman, that this is all there was.
Then, there was one defining moment in my life that made me realize this was not my path.
Defining Moments
What is your defining moment? Maybe it has not occurred yet. If it has, when are you going to make the move toward your dreams?
It is up to you, but it takes action. You need to implement. You need to get from point A to point B. You need to chart your course and throw the lines from the pier.
Tap into your inner child and imagine a different life, a bigger game. Let your imagination go. We all have that tugging notion that there is more to life. The truth is we already know what to do. It is those who plan, prepare and set sail that will live a life of fullness and happiness.
