Inspiration

I have already told so many people about one of my new favorite books, but it has really changed my perspective on life, so I feel it deserves a special blog post too. Jonathon and I just finished reading Carry on, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham. It is a young adult, historical fiction novel that was recommended by one of Jonathon's cousins. I am so happy that we read it because we have really been inspired.


The book is written in a simple, no non-sense tone. There is no sensationalism or hype, just pure and simple storytelling. It may seem a little slow to start out, but there is so much wisdom and inspiration in its' pages. The basic story follows Nathaniel Bowditch (a real historical figure) as he grows up in post-Revolutionary War America. He is a genius at math and from a very young age his greatest dream is to attend Harvard University. Unfortunately, at the age of 12 he is indentured by his father to be a shipping accountant for 9 years. This means that he will no longer be able to go to school. Instead of giving up on everything he has ever wanted, he finds another way. Though he may not be able to do things exactly as planned, he takes matters into his own hands and studies in his spare time. When he is not working, he studies math, learns languages, seeks out tutors, and eventually learns the art of navigation. He calls this idea of not giving up and finding a way to achieve your dreams by your own hard work 'sailing by ash breeze.'


Here is an excerpt from the book about "sailing by ash breeze."


"Nat asked, “How do you ‘sail by ash breeze’?”

Sam grinned. “When a ship is becalmed—the wind died down—she can’t move—sometimes the sailors break out their oars. They’ll row a boat ahead of the ship and tow her… Oars are made of ash—white ash. So—when you get ahead by your own get-up-and-get—that’s when you ‘sail by ash breeze’.”(48)

In our lives, when we come up against trials or struggles that seem to stop our progression, physically, mentally, or spiritually, we can do like Nat did and sail by ash breeze. We need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and use our own strength and determination to make our own destiny instead of just settling for where the current is carrying us. What a fantastic analogy. 

Throughout the entire book, Nat had to sail by ash breeze because he faced one obstacle after another. In the end, Nathaniel Bowditch became one of the most important people in the field of navigation. His book, along with his mathematical calculations is still the foundation which all navigators rely upon. 

Here is one more example from the book that shows this idea:

"Bonnefoy beamed. "Monsieur! You speak French! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I – I – guess I just didn't think of it." 

Captain Prince roared again. "So you didn't think of it? And here I've been expecting all along I'd have to have an interpreter in Bourbon! Have you any more tricks up your sleeve, Mr. Bowditch?"

"No, sir, I – I – don't think so, sir."

"No more languages?"

"Just – just – Latin, sir. I learned that to read Newton's Principia." (112)

Nat spent years learning Latin just so that he could read a physics/astronomy book by Newton. Wow, what motivation and drive!

Jonathon and I have actually found many examples of how we can apply this in our lives. One happened just the other day with Christian. We gave him a watch that we didn't need any more. He was interested in learning to tell time, so we started explaining it to him. Unfortunately, we realized that the numbers on the watch were roman numerals. I told Jonathon that since he didn't have the right kind of watch, we should probably just wait and teach him when he was older. Jonathon said, "No, we should just take Nathaniel Bowditch's example and teach him roman numerals so that he can learn to tell time on his watch." We started working with him and soon he was starting to understand. While we were teaching him, he called the number VII, 52. I think this shows some awfully good reasoning skills for a 4 year old. He will figure it out soon, I am sure. Bowditch believed that anyone was capable of learning and doing anything if they were willing to work at it. We are trying to take on this same attitude in our home. 

When life gets tough and we encounter unexpected obstacles, we just need to "carry on" and "sail by ash breeze."