Life Well Sailed

Musings from Loren Hagerty, Executive Director - October 2020

I am occasionally asked if I am the founder of SALTS, which is laughable, since SALTS is two years older than me. At my young age of 44, I’ve sometimes wondered what it must have been like to be alive during the historic events that I missed: world wars, the moon landing, the invention of electricity, etc. And now we find ourselves living out an event like this in our present day. The 2020 pandemic will be remembered in history books a century from now, like the influenza outbreak of 1918. Perhaps that is cold comfort and doesn’t lessen our suffering today, but it puts it in some perspective: this is big, global, world-changing.

How will it change the world? The health and economic impacts are enormous and widely discussed, but what about the social and relational effects? Will we come out of the pandemic with less friends, having not been able to see them as often? Or will we find other ways to keep, and even deepen, the connections that matter most? When this is over, will we fear germs, stand further apart, cancel the handshake, avoid the hug—or relish personal connection again? How will my three teenage kids be affected? Their friendships and memories at these ages will stick with them for life, taking on seemingly epic qualities. Will they—and we—be scarred by the isolation, or gain perseverance through the suffering? Will we become technology focused or yearn for in-person relationships even more? Will we become home bodies or grow our love of the outdoors? For some of these answers we will have to wait and see; some of these choices are ours to make.

Fall is here, winter is on its way, and indoor gatherings are taboo. Face-to-face contact may be limited, but we do have the most advanced communication tools in history. Let’s not give up on calling our friends, even when our connection doesn’t feel the same over screens and speakers. With far less happening in many of our lives and much less to talk about, let’s take this opportunity to find far more to talk about. Here are some of the best discussion topics I’ve heard (several are from author Brené Brown): tell me about someone who was influential in your life, and what you learned from them; what is one hope you have for the future; tell me about a defining moment in your life; what song best represents the soundtrack of your life; when have you felt most spiritually alive; what’s a challenge you’ve overcome; what’s the origin of your full name?

   Spring and summer are coming again too, these challenges will eventually end, and one of the many things I’m looking forward to is seeing how we grew within ourselves and in our friendships. It feels ironic, and quite problematic in the short-term, that the not-at-all-very-old SALTS organization was created to do the very thing that cannot now be done—putting people in tight quarters to build close communities. But when the day comes that we can once again gather below-decks for mug-up, may we discover in each other a new strength, a sturdier relationship, and a
deeper appreciation for living in community together.  We don’t yet know when, but we will set sail again, and in the meantime, we’ll make the most of life as it is, creating community in other ways and living lives well sailed, even when not at sea.
Continue reading our newsletter for updates on our summer maintenance projects, reflections on the summer from a crew member, and answers to how SALTS is doing through these times!

Photos by Christa Brunt and Steve Atkinson