15 Sep The Way Of The Way 332

We are a like a boat making its way

sometimes turning port, sometimes starboard.*

The port is manmade.

Star-board is the universe.

The port is the self.

Star-board is the soul.

The self and the soul are complementary,

each guiding our way,

as solely turning port or star-board would have us in circles.

*Looking forward, the left side of a boat is the “port” side and the right the “starboard” side. The etymology of “starboard” is “steer” board, as the steering mechanism, the rudder, of a boat is generally on the right side.

Alternatively, though not cited by etymology sources, when ships sailed from England to the far east, the left side of the boat provided a view of the coastline where a boat could port; while on the right side was the vast board-flat ocean where at night only the stars, moon and their reflections could be seen. Hence, star-board; a flat surface with stars. This suggests an etymology for POSH: on voyages to and from the far east, the preferred cabins, where the changing coastline could be seen, were Port Out Starboard Home.

The above, wherein the port is the self and starboard is the soul and the self-side view is more valued than the soul-side, implies that the everchanging self is more engaging than the eternal soul; that the now is more engaging than the pre-sent.