Here we see a man, Orestes the young prince, standing in his boat. Everyone knows you should never stand in a boat because, well we all understand what could happen. But many still do it anyway. He is impervious to the rough, turbulent waters below, and stands stalwart, resolved in his intentions with his eye on the goal to get to that island ahead..
Many years ago I went to the island of Newfoundland to teach art in an extremely remote part of Placentia Bay, an out port called Petite Forte. Only a population of 100 people lived there with the population of one black lab and several wild ponies.
After our long voyage we we finally disembarked onto the wharf from the coastal boat we had to get our art supplies into a dory. While unloading our art supplies we had to get them into the dory to row across to where we would be staying. I was all rigged out with my gumboots and so with a big box in hand I put one foot on the wharf and one foot into the dory. Brilliant. When the dory started moving, I was moving farther from the wharf, with my legs apart. It immediately dawned on me what a stupid thing I'd done. I knew that it was either the art supplies that was going into the drink or it was me. Needless to say our supplies were found very dry and intact, while I clung to the slimy wharf still in my gumboots that were filled with water. I was very relieved, and happy to still have our much needed supplies intact and had a good laugh over my baptism by fire to this grand place of Petite Forte!
Needless to say I'd learned my lesson, and retained my self-respect and dignity, though perhaps my ego was a little bruised, I could now get on with my adventure.
We need to be brave to face the consequences of our decisions, and sometimes we need to be prepared to be humbled, before our path becomes clear with insight and understanding..
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