There is a story about an old sailor and a professor. This is the case when people are still traveling from one country to another using ships, before the era of cheap flights like today. The professor is leaving Sidney to San Francisco to give a guest lecture.
On the first night aboard, after departing from Sydney, the Professor just had a wonderful dinner in the banquet hall, then he went to the deck to breathe the fresh air of the sea. As he walked on the deck, he saw an elder sailor leaning against the edge of the ship, staring into the ocean below.
He decided to converse with this sailor, for though it seemed that his job as a sailor was simple, but this man must have sailed the ocean for a very long time. Surely he has learned something useful. Professor always wants to increase the abundance of knowledge that he thinks as the meaning of his life. He approached the sailor and said, "Old man, how long have you been fishing?"
The sailor replied, "Ever since he was a boy, about the age of thirteen," Incredible! "Said the professor," you must know that in this ocean we see there are so many lives. As a sailor who has eaten a lot of salt, you must be an expert in marine biology, about all the animals that depend on the ocean below us, along with all the currents and coral reefs. Let's talk about oceanology, oceanography. "
Sailors are confused, "Haa? Emang laut there is science?
What?! "Exclaimed the professor," for years in the sea you have never read a book or studied the contents of the ocean beneath you? "
"You know," said the sailor. "You've wasted your time!" The professor said as he stepped away in disgust at this elderly man who had spent his life in the ocean without ever learning about it.
Tomorrow night, the professor got a very good dinner again so his heart was very good. So when he walked on the deck a second time, again the old sailor was on guard there. This time the sailor was staring at the star.
It also happens that this is one of the professor's hobbies: astronomy. He thought, "Ah, never mind. This poor old man may not know much about oceanology, but he certainly knows about astronomy: in the days before there was a GPS, that's how we navigate the oceans without getting lost-with star guides. So he approached the old sailor, "I apologize about last night. You probably do not know much about oceanology, but I bet you know about astronomy, which happens to be my hobby, too. Take a look at the Big Bear Star constellation there!
The sailor gasped, "Big Bear what?" That! The star is ... in the northern sky there! "The professor said," you must know astronomy, that's the one who guided the direction of our ship! "Sailors are confused," I do not know what you are talking about. The captain knows about this, not me. "What? ! shrill Professor, "Years in the sea, see the sky above, you never care about learning astronomy? You are wasting your life! "The professor stepped disgustedly.
On the third night, the chef made a fabulous dinner, which made the professor's mood so comfortable. When he went to the deck, the evening was so beautiful, the air of the sea was so sweet, fragrant, fresh, that the professor thought, "Yes, never mind, I'll give him another chance." Apparently he was a professor in meteorology.
He realized that seafarers might not know about marine science or astronomy, but they must know about the weather. Because the weather includes the pattern and wind power that drives the ship, and about the storm that can sink the ship, so the weather must be absolutely understood this old sailor.
He came up to her and said, "I'm sorry. Really I'm sorry. My temper is bad this last night. I have misjudged you. You may not know about oceanology or astronomy, but I'm sure you know about meteorology, about the wind, the weather that can destroy or push this ship to its destination. "
"What meteor ?! Sailor said "Wind and storm .." suspicious professor. "I do not know anything. I am just an ordinary sailor. "Said the sailor with his lugunya. Murkalah professor, "Apaaaa ?! Foolish! Stupid! Begoo! Years in the sea! How worth it! You wasted your whole life! The professor leaves and vows never to speak to that fool again.
The fourth night at sea, he did not attend the banquet hall for dinner because that night the ocean was raging. Professor of seasickness, put anything in his stomach would just come out again, so he just rest in his cabin.
The night was getting late, the storm was getting worse. He could feel the ship getting swayed. He could feel the ocean waves slapping the ship from the cabin window. It was a very bad night. When the storm reaches its peak at midnight. He heard a crash, a big bang! He was afraid. After the loud noise, there was only a moment of silence, followed by the sound of people running and noise outside his cabin door. Panicked, he opened the door and guess who was running out there?
The old seaman. The old seaman paused for a moment, turned to the professor and said, "Professor, for many years you live, have you ever learned to swim?" "Emm ... no ..." softly the professor. "Void your life! This ship will sink! "Sailed the sailor.
The morals of this story ... owd old professor, may study astronomy, oceanology, or meteorology, but the most important thing for a sailor to know is how to swim.
Similarly, the most important thing to know in life is not knowing about electronics, cars, technology but how to keep the head above the surface of the water in the currents and waves of life's uncertainty, but have you learned to swim if your ship is drowning? When you lose all your possessions, the stock market falls, is abandoned by a spouse, the dear people die? If not, then the disappointment and sorrow will drown you.
So what is meant by swimming?
Knowing how to care, be compassionate, know what's really important in life. At that time, you will never drown.
It will still happen things that we do not want. There will still be people you care about dead, separation, loss, but you have the incredible compassion to let go, a great care for the environment, not angry but have great affection for the past, against the wonderful times together, thank you very much.
This love and compassion is what opens the door of the heart to reality - life and death.