Once there were two young people madly in love. One early morning they took a walk, hand in hand to a local pier where tiny boats lined up one after the other. The two clung to each other in conversation and spoke of those things that only young people in love speak of. Of how in a more perfect world, many things would be different than they are. Automobile engines would never break down in winter, traffic would move at the same speed no matter how many cars are on the road, politicians would tell the truth and time would adjust itself so that it would go faster during work hours and slower as we age. But mostly they spoke of their upcoming voyage together. It would take many years to navigate and take them to places no one had ever visited before. It would require many a sacrifice and both had to be willing to risk it all come hell or high water. He was an avid seaman and felt a certain intimacy with the sea. He was passionate about many things. She was passionate about him. But up to this point in his life he only had himself to be concerned with and over the years had captained many ships. Lets see, first there was the speedboat named “Sex”. It was incredibly fast with cool slick lines but left him nowhere to rest his head at night. Then there was the luxury cruise liner “Money”. The problem with “Money” was that it was just never quite enough boat for him. He always wanted more. Oh, and lets not forget the submarine “Deceit”. The problem with “Deceit” is that at the surface everything seemed fine but the deeper you went the more it just fell to pieces. The young admiral had grown tired of his “fleet” and was looking to set a new course with the girl at his side. He was looking to trade it all in for something more significant. Something that will last for many years with the capacity to withstand the fiercest of winter gales. It had to be strong yet comfortable. A place where they could sleep under the stars when the sea was calm, yet protect them when the waters churned and their faith was tested. And more importantly it had get them to their destination. Together. In their walk they passed boats both large and small, fast and slow and it wasn’t until the young man’s gaze fell upon a tiny white vessel called “Honesty” that their pace slowed. It was not at all the kind of boat he had skippered in his younger days. It was not mass produced or made of cheap fiberglass. No, this was painstakingly crafted by hand over many years and had been passed down from one generation to the next. It was one of a kind and the moment he climbed aboard he realized it was the boat he had been looking for all along. He took the girl by the hand and pulled her aboard. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close as he untied from the dock and pushed back into the incoming tide. Over the years their journey would prove to be extremely difficult, testing their relationship in a way they never could have imagined. But even in the worst of storms they clung to the tiny, humble boat and it never failed them. It wasn’t sex or money or deceit that kept them safe when they needed it most. It was honesty…
While this story is simply a figment of my imagination I cant help but wonder why someone would name their boat Honesty. Not Chrissy or Diane. But Honesty. Oh the tale that must be. If only boats could talk. Though William Curtis, an early social reformer, said it best when he simply stated “It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.”
