Sailing: The Opportunity of Adversity

May 2020

After living in harmony with myself, I was shocked by the potentials I had. I tried to do sailing as my co-curricular. As we all know, sailing is kind of a team sport. I thought it would be beneficial for me on my journey of making friends as well as challenging myself. I was thinking about teaming up with others as well as picking up the skills. I didn’t remember how many times the boat overturned and we were thrown into the lake, laughing in shaking voices because of the icy water. The interesting thing was, we got closer and closer after getting so many ups and downs.

When recalling, falling into the lake is like a usual thing for me or a normal part of the learning process of sailing, but I still cannot forget the first time our boat gets turned upside down. My body was shaking when I was submerged into the cold lake when the boat tipped upside down. I watched the big green sail tumbling down as my body leaning back. I heard somebody shouting “pull the jib sail”. But there was something hit before he finished the sentence. I saw two terrifying faces looking at me when I pulled the jib sail. I looked back and found the whole world is upside down! My head felt dizzy and I couldn’t control my body. Suddenly I felt I was leaning more backward and felt into the world of seaweed and other disgusting creatures. The seaweed moved quickly around my outstretched fingers. I looked through the water and found out that the seaweeds were like brown, green and red monsters waving their long nails. I felt the seaweed touching me like a million snacks with the slippery skin. They just stuck on my legs as somebody glue them on me, I couldn’t get rid of them even I was shaking your leg so hard. I could smell the weird odour of the lake, which was full of fishes and dead fishes. I was so close to throwing up in the water! But suddenly, with the floating of the lifejacket, I paddled my feet backward and felt my finger touching something. It was the sailboat! I pushed myself up to the seat and heard the other 2 guys cheering for me.

After this horrifying experience of sailing, I think about giving up and quit. It is probably not the right sport for me for I really do not like the feeling of being immersed in the water. Maybe I should just quit so I won’t get wet anymore. I end up deciding at least I will finish this term, for I am not this kind of person allowing myself to easily give up on something because of the difficulties. This time, courage and confidence are not enough, I have to participate and practice. Only a small mistake will throw me and my friends on the same boat into the chilly water, I learn to be calmer in crisis and more determined in the countless failures. Right now, reflecting on the numerous ups and downs, I suddenly realize that life is just like a little boat, and we have to sail with the winds. Winds can impede us from moving forward, but propelling us to our destination as well. The problem is how we can tactfully use it. Adversity or opportunity lies in from what perspective we look at it and how we react.