07/24/2023
Okay! Wow! This is a little long but worth it. Boy was I humbled and filled with gratitude at the show of friendship and community yesterday. There I was, fishing with a friend 15 miles out in the ocean, when the starter on my boat fails. So I call a fellow fisherman I knew was somewhere out there and requested assistance. Without hesitation, even though I was anchored up so not in danger, he set off from 7 miles closer to shore to come and help us. He and his mate hauled our anchor, a chore unto itself, then proceed to tow us 17 miles back to the nearest boat launch, at about 5 miles an hour in bumby 3 foot seas. Feeling pretty guilty for my engine failure, and the inconvenience it had caused, I was met with nothing but kindness and friendship. My mate, first trip out with me, had the best attitude. "It's all part of the adventure" he says. He arranged for his wife to meet us at Marblehead boat launch and she did so gladly. And with the same patience and warmth of her husband she drove me to my car and where my boat trailer was. But before that, a man I recognized but didn't really know happened to be at the boat launch, and without solicitation, graciously offered to stay and watch the boat while I retrieved the trailer. So I did and they all helped me load the boat and were even willing to follow me home -since the lights on my trailer weren't working - lol. I had already expressed gratitude to my pal and fellow fishing Captain Jim for adding half a day to his schedule to help us out, stating how I'll find a good way repay them, in addition to gas money. After getting home, we talked on the phone and he did give me some grief. But it wasn't for needing the assist and the inconvenience to him, it was for suggesting that I needed to do anything special to thank him. He was serious about it too. He expressed "you would do the same for me - think nothing of it. Even though he had been up since 2 am, and it was now 9pm and he wasn't even home yet, someow he relieved me of my sense of guilt. Humbling. So between his deeds, my mates great attitude, his wife's kind support, the help of a stranger at the dock, I was reminded of how great life is, even on a rough day, when there are friends and community there for you. If we were all a little more like these folks, the world would be as it can be. I know I will try harder to be the best friend and neighbor I can be. And finally, and more significant even, I know different flavors of this story happen regularly. They are all part of a world that rarely is seen behind the tsunami of negatives that media uses to market their broadcasts. When the good happens to you, please share it so a true and more accurate picture of the world might came forth. It's needed so we can all, as human beings, keep our chins up, and be inspired to be a little better person each and every day.
