Alex -- You know we all have adopted Fred! He has tons of support, and I'm sure he knows that. While you couldn't be there in person, no doubt he can feel the cosmic vibes from all of us from afar. I'm sure he did great today!
My boat is on land also -- just got back from visiting her. Sailboats look so forlorn out of the water!
Fair winds always to Fred!!!
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SailorMitch
Sailing winged keels since 1989. 1.20.09 Bush's last day the end of an error !! Hopefully we still have a constitution and economy left by then.
"Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength." The Dalai Lama
good planets are hard to find-- a song by steve forbert
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging the future but by the past.-- Patrick Henry.
Your work helps make his racing possible. We can't always be there when we want to be, but it seems you miss very few. Buck up Alex, I'm sure Fred realizes how much he has thanks to your efforts.
Go Fred !!!
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John
Ontario 32 - Aria
Free, is the heart, that lives not, in fear.
Full, is the spirit, that thinks not, of falling.
True, is the soul, that hesitates not, to give.
Alive, is the one, that believes, in love. JCP
Beware. It may be the whole point of our sons' learning to sail is that they want to get away from us.
Here's my son Doug Opti sailing on the Columbia River in 2006:
Now, both my son and daughter are lined up for Opti sailing at Welsh Harp this spring. In fact, I've promised to buy them an Opti if they both take and really enjoy the classes again. We looked at Optis today at the Earls Court boat show.
Of course, my son and daughter could sail across in the channel in their opti to watch your son race!
If you really loved your boy you'd be taking pictures and video of him sailing like your typical proud father. Don't take offense, but I"d like to make a suggestion... Maybe you should try sailing yourself -- just to see if you like it. Then, if you think it's a sport you might enjoy, maybe you could buy an inexpensive little boat -- perhaps a C22 or a J24 -- and take your son out so that you could sail together. Maybe, in time, you could get a bigger, nicer boat and take the whole family on little trips. Just a suggestion.
If you really loved your boy you'd be taking pictures and video of him sailing like your typical proud father. Don't take offense, but I"d like to make a suggestion... Maybe you should try sailing yourself -- just to see if you like it. Then, if you think it's a sport you might enjoy, maybe you could buy an inexpensive little boat -- perhaps a C22 or a J24 -- and take your son out so that you could sail together. Maybe, in time, you could get a bigger, nicer boat and take the whole family on little trips. Just a suggestion.
Wow, that was fast! You took my suggestion! I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say that you got really good at sailing in a very short period of time.
Silly bluebottle, the Hog is rarely serious, but always witty.
JimH does make a good point too. In Fred's Opti, and other kid's boats, they are truly Master, at an age where they are often entrusted to be master of little at all. Thus though begins the road to manhood and responsibility. Young people benefit tremendously, even without the racing, from sailing solo. They build confidence and esteem through the doing of it all themselves. They build humility and compassion from the battling of wind and sea, often failing at their goal of mastery of either, while learning that while perfection may not be obtained there is no substitute for the pursuit of perfection nor the brief glimpses of it we see when a boat is exquisitely balanced and doing what she was built to do.
It's only we selfish parents who think we are doing all of the instructing and that our presence is somehow indispensable. In Alex's case, I suspect that Fred will enjoy the telling of the race nearly as much as the race itself. And Alex will have to content himself that, while he was not there, the important thing is that Fred was able to be there and that occurence was not mere chance. God does bless us.
__________________ The brain is merely a knot that keeps the spinal cord from unraveling.
I forgot to add that I miss the little devil also, Luis, the pocket tornado, that miniature avok making storm, at only 20 months, has broken more stuff in my house than me, Giulietta and Fred together...
You may not be there physically... but I seriously doubt that Fred has any doubts whatsoever about where you are in spirit. Where do you think he got his love of sailing and learned how to sail so well... it wasn't because you neglected to spend time with him... so quit whining...get to work, and get home as soon as you can.
the Dog.
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Sailingdog Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
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