Life is a Feast

A former crew member who sailed with the M/V Explorer died earlier this year. His name was Jackson Chang and today we gathered on Deck 4 aft to throw his ashes to the wind. Having sailed the South Chinese Sea as often as he did, his last dying wishes were to be cremated and scattered in the ocean. When Dean John lifted his urn and turned it upright, a cold hard breeze caught the loose dust and took it flying. Clouds parted just long enough for a brilliant splash of sun to come streaming down on those gathered to remember loved ones. I was hoping for something ethereal like that and it happened. I can see the appeal of being buried at sea. Despite my cramped quarters, bouts of sea sickness and doing laundry in my sink, I’m not ready to come home… nor do I think I ever will be. A clever student made the analogy that seeing the world is like being invited to a 5-course feast. If the heavens cook all day and invite you to dinner would you only eat the main course and skip the appetizers, desserts, soups and salads? Of course not. That would be rude. Why treat the world we live in the same way? See the world and make the heavens happy. Some countries may taste better than others but let’s not insult the cook and only try what we’re familiar with.