The bigger picture
I got asked to write this for a blog last week, this was my words on paper at the time!
The Bigger Picture
I am writing this as I’m trying to make sense of the last month living onboard a Sea Shepherd vessel!! It’s been my dream to be volunteering on a sea shepherd vessel for many years , two years volunteering on-shore for sea shepherd UK I only day dreamed of what it must be like to have the privilage to put my views into action under the banner of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society!!! My dream came true and my eyes have only opened more in this time, my repsect for everyone who wears this uniform has only got bigger, I have seen how much sweat, integrity and honesty goes into keeping these ships on the water.
The day of a sea shepherd crew member is not all that glamorous, the long and intense days, the dirty jobs, the scrubbing of toilets, long hours stuck in hot engine rooms, full days in the galley feeding crew and visitors, long days on deck in the pouring rain… yet the sweat only drips off their faces filled with hope and dedication for this battle, their own stories of why they’re here are truly inspiring. I see the selfless kindness and hospitality of people donating their last pennies to this cause, people going out of their way to help out the crew in any way possible, the sheer enthusiasm of the on shore volunteers as they donate their whole weekends and evenings to helping in any way possible.
At the end of the day its the sheer passion and urgency of what were trying to achieve that keeps us all trucking on, keeping these selfless hearts going, fueled by the rage and love we feel in our guts everytime we hear of the killings from the cove to the grind and everything in between, acting and living as one family knowing were not alone in this movement and looking across our shoulers at crew, on shore volunteers, office staff,doners and those who do the simpliest of things, its those we look to for inspiration; they also believe one day we will be able to say ‘we have fought for their right to have their home back’, the fight looks long but these individuals prove the pace is not going to slow down, we will take off our shoes before we enter their home, their home being the ocean, a home free from fear, hatred, destruction and judging all by our own criteria……this movement will only get bigger, the hearts were recruiting cant be bought or sold… thats power!!Next time we look into their eyes we can look with honesty and sincerity, we can say were trying, that is enough….
One topic, many issues, strong hearts and minds, going against the grain, the small steps were all taking are making leaps, dreams were made for a reason, under this banner we’ll paint the picture of the world we want to see! Join the fight in your own way, take pride in the small steps you achieve and the determination your defining in your own life, were all working as one for this aim, it’s this support for the freedom fighter next to you that keeps us progressing, its all our voices together that will help to show our future generations what life in the oceans is, not what it was….
..it’s this that makes up the bigger picture
