Good morning…
“Take your sails out of their wind.” I am not sure when I first heard this wise phrase, but I am learning to put it into practice regularly.
When the fierce winds of crazy conflict start picking up speed inside and around us, we take down our sails. When anxious winds begin gusting hard in our direction, do more, please more, song and dance more, we take down our sails. When self-defeating winds begin blowing and we start beating ourselves up, we take down our sails.
I am not a sailor, so I google, “How do you take down sails?” The steps to take down a physical sail can help us to learn how to take down our emotional sails.
- Get to know your own boat and how it handles. Smaller boats more easily fall prey to the power of the wind. Keep an eye on your drift.
- Try to find a sheltered space before entering the harbor where the congestion of the crowd can make lowering sails more difficult.
- When you sense it is time to take down your sails, calmly turn on your engine. Steadily steer into the wind, empowered by your God-given engine.
- When your boat feels unbalanced, keeping movement forward into the wind and waves will engage your boat’s rudder, another God-given tool.
- Steady speed forward offers a sense of stability. If we stop forward movement, we may be broadsided by the wind, tossed, turned, toppled.
- An inexperienced helmsman tends to over correct, taking stern control, rather than reversing the tiller when needed, another God-given resource.
- Free your main sail, allowing slack, then lower your sails one by one, jib down first and then main sail.
- You may need help to pull down the main sail. Do not be afraid to ask for help from a trusted companion, another gift given to us by God.
- Do a rough stow, just keep it all together, and tidy up later, when your boat is resting in clear water.
- Time will increase your confidence as you take down your sails regularly. Once you set a clear routine, your sails will come down without hassle.
- Enjoy the learning process, engaging the support of your engine and rudder, your tiller and companions. Learning continues as long as you sail.
“Take your sails out of their wind.” I am not sure when I first heard this wise phrase, but I am learning to put it into practice regularly.
