Engine Stalled, In Need of a Tow

It was a surprisingly glorious day, sunny and warm, with little humidity – a rarity in the typically stifling dog-days of summer on the East coast.  We were spending time with dear friends visiting for the weekend and exploring a beautiful coastal town.  With several touring options before us, we chose to take a short chartered cruise to learn more about the history of the War of 1812, oyster fishing, and the Chesapeake Bay.  Our group of seven boarded the antique boat along with others and started our journey as we listened to docents share stories of yesteryear.  The engaging crew invited children into the wheelhouse for an opportunity to help the captain steer the boat.  The mood was light and all was well until we found ourselves in silence as the engine suddenly died and a volunteer muttered, “This can’t be good”. 

With a naturally inquisitive spirit, a five year-old had mistakenly hit a button while assisting the captain and shut off the engine.  Unlike a newer boat, the engine on this quaint fishing vessel needed three hours to cool down before it would restart. 

There we sat, rocking on the water, as the strategy for rescue unfolded.  The crew announced that a boat had been summoned.  The plan was to jump start the failed engine and if unsuccessful, the nonworking boat would be towed.  In the meantime, the passengers enjoyed the scenery, discussed the rarity of the event and consoled the poor father as he apologized for his curious child.  After an hour, the rescue boat appeared, an engine restart was attempted, and the decision was made to tow.  I thought the boat would be towed in a manner similar to that of a car, in which the broken vehicle is hitched behind and pulled. Curiously, this wasn’t the case with the rescue boat.  We watched as the crews worked together to tether the boats side by side – in a fashion that visually reminded me of one putting an arm around the other.  Through partnership and ingenuity, the crews were able to use a 104-year-old crab dredger to help an antique oyster buy boat get passengers safely to dry land.  The crew was pleased that the crab dredger could be of such service, given its age and the challenge presented.  After a few laughs and pictures, I realized that not only did I have an adventure by which to always remember our visit with friends, I had an epiphany.

Although I am blessed, I have been struggling recently with the many challenges associated with moving hundreds of miles away from family and friends.  The opportunity to set sail on a new adventure is exciting, but at times trying.  I’m stubborn and in my effort to be strong, I often pretend that my proverbial motor is running, when at best, it's sputtering or has even stalled.  It doesn’t take a relocation to stall a motor.  Often it’s just the daily grind of life that extinguishes the spark.  Both the big and small trials of life can leave us feeling alone and adrift.  I find that in my unanchored moments a “tow boat” always comes to my rescue.  Spirit intervenes and through a phone call, email, Facebook post, note in the mailbox, knock on the door, or even a smile from a stranger, the course is righted and my engine restarted.  Surprisingly, I find these “tow boats” often do not intervene to lead or pull, they come alongside and put a proverbial arm around me and together with renewed strength, we face the current. 

Like the adventure on the water that afternoon on the East coast, I see that the essence of this journey through life is that we are to be tow boats for one another. I hope that today, I may be as lucky as the old crab dredger and put my arm around another “boat” in need.