"The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks."
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
My brother is taking time to read a list of "great works" and Emerson is on the list. In trying to find a way to spend more time with my siblings, who live too far away, I decided to read a couple of Emerson's essays with him. Our brother-sister book club didn't last long - just one or two phone conversations - but I enjoyed it while it lasted.
Besides enjoying the sailing reference, I find this one particularly inspiring as a reminder that we don't usually get to our goals in a straight line. We move back and forth, getting closer and closer, sometimes at a snail's pace - especially when the wind is strong against us. When that's the case, all that's left is to enjoy the journey, which is a far better answer than scowling and shaking your fist at the wind.
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