Expect No Problems
It's that time of year where we test our abilities to siphon through all the utterly mind-numbing garbage on Netflix, in search of those hidden gems, as the consumption of copious amounts of turkey and wine render us couch creatures. I decided to fire up an old favourite last night. A documetary that sends me into an instant hypo-manic state where I hear the siren call of the dive shops of Koh Tao and develop an intense itch to quit my job in exchange for an ocean existence. Luckily these periods pass before I get too carried away.
Having seen the "Mission Blue" documentary already, I knew Sylvia Earle was a total bad ass. I love her! This time though, I found even more inspiration. If you don't know who she is, I'll only just scratch the surface before I get to the point of this piece. Dr. Sylvia Earle is a scientist, a oceanographic pioneer, an advocate, an icon of the sexual revolution, a wife (several times), and a mother.
This time around, it was her 1964 scientific expedition to the Indian Ocean that caught my attention. Well, not the expedition itself but the media coverage around it. At the time, Earle had to leave a husband, a four-year-old and two-year-old at home for six weeks in order to make the trek. As the only woman on board, the press release stated, "Sylvia Sails Away with 70 Men but she Expects No Problems". May I just say, I have deep respect for her in that not only did she accept the position, and the temporary disruption to her duties as mother and wife, but look at the smile on this front page? Fearless! Thrilled! Nothing of this expression gives the viewer even a hint that she was only allowed on a scientific voyage after she agreed to help with the dishes and the cooking.
I'll bet she didn't give a damn what the headline said, or that she had to concede to some additional domestic duties in order to get her spot on board. She's smiling because she’s standing on a ship that's about to embark to a part of the world where samples had never been collected before! She is about to participate on a mission that is at the forefront of marine science! Regardless of how the media is playing up her uniqueness as the sole woman in a world of bearded men, she's blissfully content with being on the ship, part of the team, about to sail off and pursue her dreams. We could all use a little more of the "I don't give a damn!" twinkle we see in this image. We could all be reminded that getting caught up in what people are saying, rather than focusing on our own internal dialogue will be a hindrance to realizing our life's purpose.
When you acknowledge your purpose, and embrace, rather than fear, the many ups and downs in the pursuit, it becomes obvious that it is wasted energy to concern yourself with the words, opinions and actions of others who do not share your vision.
How can someone push boundaries so effortlessly? I don't know this woman personally, but I believe it is her infectious optimism that has allowed her to move effortlessly through the many different worlds she’s inhabited during her lifetime. Rather than being consumed with the woes and stresses of worrying about what others think, she carries at the forefront of her personality resolute acceptance of her purpose. She knows she is here to explore oceans, and ensure their fate is one that doesn’t end in tragedy. When confronted with challenges, "That's life!" is her motto. Re-visiting this documentary has reminded me that when you acknowledge your purpose, and embrace rather than fear the many ups and downs in the pursuit of it, it becomes obvious that it is wasted energy to concern yourself with the words, opinions and actions of others who do not share your vision.
