Stormy waters

I was having a discussion with friends this weekend around the theme 'stormy waters' - those difficult phases in our lives when we're thrown off-course and we can really struggle.

It reminded me of an occasion when I was literally caught in a storm. I was on a dinghy sailing holiday in Greece. Each day the group, inexperienced and experienced sailors alike, would sail out in convoy to a new destination and then back again.

On this particular day the boat I was in included two men, neither of whom I knew and neither had sailed before. Following a wonderful sail in glorious sunshine over to a neighbouring island and a delicious barbecue, the instructors suddenly asked the group to get ready to sail back very quickly. We couldn't understand why - we were on a relaxing holiday, after all.

Within minutes of leaving the shore, the grim reality struck home. A storm began, and all the boats were lashed with high wind, heavy swell and rain. It was difficult to see each other's boats, let alone steer a straight course.

Very soon the wind was so high that the boat was tilting dangerously, threatening to capsize.

It was all very frightening. My fellow passengers were clinging to anything they could hold onto in the boat. But none of that was helping to keep the boat upright. I was leaning desperately out of the dinghy, trying to balance it, whilst they steadfastly remained in the middle of the boat. Asking them to move politely had little effect.

I knew we would capsize unless we all worked together to right the boat.

Not one usually to resort to expletives, I shouted one or two choice words at my companions to get them over to my side. From that moment on, we worked as a team to balance the boat.

Thankfully, we made it back to the shore - and we felt fabulous for doing so. Some in the other boats had to be rescued from the sea and various points along the coast. Fortunately, no-one was lost. Within an hour of returning, the sea had become like a millpond.

The experience was one I would not wish to repeat. However, it was a great learning opportunity....

Pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone can be very scary, but can also bring a huge sense of achievement and enable us to recognise our skills and abilities.

Working with others as a team we can achieve things we thought were impossible.

Sometimes we have to be a bit cruel (or even use expletives!) to be kind.

It is possible to survive the harshest of storms, and even storms have to end.

I'm not planning on sailing through any more stormy waters, though none of us can avoid some of life's storms. So when the next one hits us, perhaps we can remember that if we draw on our own (and others') amazing resources and skills, we can get through it and the storm will end.