Bob's Banter

Take Your Eyes Off the Old!

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, Ship at Sunset off Cap Martin, 1859
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, Ship at Sunset off Cap Martin, 1859

Leaving your comfort zone is very difficult and sometimes painful. In my book, DARE, I have a chapter, “Dare to leave your comfort zone”, but today I’m not going to quote from my book, but from a story, possibly a true one, written by Katherina Seidler:

‘The waves were rhythmically sloshing beneath the keel of the Santa Maria, the flag atop the mast was fluttering above the billowing sail.

The East wind had been blowing for 36 days!

Pedro leaned over the railing and stared with burning eyes as the Canary Islands disappeared over the horizon. “What are you dreaming about, Pedro?” asked Columbus as he placed an encouraging hand on the sailor’s shoulder.

“Land is disappearing, Admiral; there go the last mountain-tops of Spain,” said Pedro wistfully, and with a deep sigh continued, “And out here there is nothing but the East wind. How can we ever get back to Spain with that? My wife and children are waiting for me at Palos.”

Cover of the October 2022 issue of The Teenager Today featuring Sriya Lenka

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Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist with an estimated readership of 6 million. He also conducts a short-term writer’s course. Contact him at bobsbanter@gmail.com for more details.

Robert Clements

Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist with an estimated readership of 6 million. He also conducts a short-term writer’s course. Contact him at bobsbanter@gmail.com for more details.