When one’s been buffeted by fickle waves
And left so weak it’s difficult to stand,
Those tentative first steps will be what saves
You from the blandishments of solid land.

For while it may seem safest to avert
Future ordeals by lingering on shore,
Contentment may be found by the inert,
But joy is found by giving trust once more.

So hold fast to your crewmates and your ship;
For all of us by storms are tossed and blown,
And even the meticulous can slip.
There is no prize for doing it alone.

So think no more about what might have been-
And work to get your sea legs back again.