I have written that I wanted to lead an epic life. This past weekend I was asked what that means. As is often the case I used some of my own words and said it is going beyond the edge of human experience and sending back reports. I also said that one can live an epic life without ever leaving home.
I have time, mostly because I have refused not to have time, and so I have been thinking about what epic means and what an epic life is.
I have consulted several online dictionaries finding that most provide definitions that are mere tautologies which amount to nothing more than ‘epic is epic’.
I have not even found agreement on the entomology of the word, though it does seem to go back to an ancient Greek word meaning ‘song’. The ancient Greek poets allegedly sang their poems.
I have understood the word to mean something grand, heroic, and far beyond the ordinary. Like many words it has become overused and debased in our time.
I stand by my saying that one can live an epic life without ever leaving home, although for myself I have always thought there is a physical element to epic, of facing great natural forces in ways that no one else ever has. I believe many great artists have led epic lives without ever much leaving home. A great scientist would probably now have to leave home, but could lead an epic life without ever going beyond the laboratory.
One word leads to another, so I goggled ‘heroic’ and found references to courage, daring and determination. I am already on the record as saying I am not courageous, but I like to believe I have shown daring, determination, and what I define as nerve.
As I observed in ‘The End of Being 2’ video, whether I have lived an epic life is a matter of opinion, but whether I did or not, at least I had the nerve to dream big.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9UILrfAk9s
Of opinions about whether I have lived an epic life, while I like to be admired, only one opinion really matters to me and that person found sufficient evidence to reach a conclusion some decades ago.
A couple of nights ago I watched on Netflix all three episodes of a Norwegian series based as they say on true events, WAR SAILOR, which though sometimes painful is extraordinarily well done. It follows two friends who are in the merchant marine and go to sea before Germany invades Norway and brings it into The Second World War. One is married and has three children, one is single. The Norwegian Merchant Fleet joined the British and suffered high casualties. One in nine of their sailors died.
The series portrays not just the two men’s experience at sea, but also the effects of the war on the one man’s family ashore.
It continues to follow them after the war. Important experiences take place in 1948 and then again on one man’s seventieth birthday. I am not giving too much away when I tell you that the final shot is of two empty glasses from which the men have had a final drink. I found it poignant.
If you watch and don’t speak Norwegian, remember to turn on the English option.
I think I may have posted this link before, but if so it was at least a few years ago and Loreena McKennitt’s transcendent ‘Dante’s Prayer’ is worth hearing again. I think the images are worthy of the music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHvj1cxOs0
Hi Webb, Been following your blog and enjoying your sailing videos and exploits. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAbout an epic being related to a song, perhaps a helpful way to think about it would be to have your exploits remembered in a song. Such would be the way prior to having widespread literacy. Think Epic of Gilgamesh on up to the ballad of whatever you will.
Take care and be well.
Hello Webb, I was wondering if you know whoSven Yrvind is? He is older than you I think and he plans on taking his tiny sailboat from his home in sweeden to NewZealand and back. He has dedicated most of his life to sailing the world like yourself.
ReplyDeleteI know who he is. I think he likes to tinker with boats and talk about what he might do, than actually sail. He also talked about sailing around Antarctica, but as far as I know never even made the attempt. I am not aware that he has made a significant passage in a very long time. I prefer those who talk about what they have done, not what they might do. If he gets to New Zealand I will revise my opinion. I will be surprised if he even starts.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has an interest to see, there is quite a large collection of information online concerning the many voyages Sven has made. He has built a website in which he describes in detail many long voyages,various crews and boats he has spent time aboard. Recently he continues to work with experimental ideas he has tested for himself at sea over the past 6 decades.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a special and unique approach to seafaring challenges, Sven displays for us such very different motivations for what he seeks at sea. But he does stand within the Royal Cruising Club "Hall of Fame" under his former name Lundin. A fairly remarkable sailor even now..as he works away exploiting the properties of modern materials for another new idea,in his 9th decade on his You Tube channel. https://www.yrvind.com/my-life-texts/
I intend no dispute. Kind wishes, Webb. Tom in Scotland.
I went to the site. I find requests for donations. I find media reports about voyages claimed but not made. I do not find any clear list of voyages actually made. I do not read much about sailing and gave up. So you tell me. Has he ever crossed an ocean? Which? How many? At this point I continue not to be impressed.
ReplyDeleteWebb, you lived your life as you've wanted. To me that's pretty epic.
ReplyDeleteDD
I did not know Kavanagh’s poem. I thank you that now I do and will include it in the journal.
ReplyDelete