Sailing.

"I like sailing because it's like life. It's about the journey," my older brother explained to our boatful of unseasoned passengers. "You can't always go directly to your destination. Sometimes you have to tack or zig-zag back and forth to get from A to B."

I'm discovering another similarity between life and sailing. Malia might write about Conrad's point, so I'll continue with my own.

I cringed when forced on family sailing trips as a child. Sailing lessons excited me, and I adored the Sunfish and Optimist. However, being stuck on a boat for hours as we snailed along with Dad's anxious comments ringing in my ears was not my ideal Saturday. He would stress about the motor or the sails or the boom or the sheets or his children or the tiller or the channels or the markers. I would bury myself in the cockpit and attempt to read without getting seasick. The purpose of our trips, I believe, was to spend enjoyable family time together. I can't say we succeeded there.

When you're sailing, you can't exactly zip yourself back to the dock, either. Sailing is a commitment. If you sail out for a couple hours, it's going to take some time to get home, even with a working engine. So, if we're going out sailing, we're committing to having an enjoyable journey.

It's pretty easy to get distracted from our original reason for sailing once we're out on the river. The wind blows, the boat tips, and the boom could whip across the deck and knock someone out. And then, Dad realizes we're an hour away from home and we hit a sandbar. By this time, no one is having fun except Robert, who is making crazy noises.

The purpose of my life is to be loved by God and to love him back. That's why I'm alive, and I'm totally committed to that. I'm not getting out of the boat; swimming back to the dock would be senseless. However, it's pretty easy to get distracted once I get going. As in sailing, sometimes my distractions create a result opposite of what was intended.

Distractions aren't inherently bad. The wind made my father anxious, but without it, we couldn't sail at all. The best and most necessary aspects of our lives are the same parts that can most distract us. We can appreciate the gifts God gives us and acknowledge our challenges. The issue comes when I elevate those things above my purpose.

God, I'm not getting off the boat, and I'm not turning around. Let your purposes be mine. I want to go on an adventure with You, about You, and for You.