That's Not What Ships Are For

 

I love this message...and would love to have it posted somewhere in Esperanza. 

 

Claudio R.M. Costa gave a BYU Devotional speech on November 2, 2010 on this theme.  He said:

 

Years ago...I saw a beautiful painting on the wall [of an Institute building]. It was of a 16th-century ship with the sails tied to the mast, anchored safely in the harbor. At the bottom of the painting was the inscription “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”

The phrase was in my native tongue of Portuguese. In that language the verb to be has two translations. One translation is the verb ser, and it means something that is fixed or permanent. The other translation is estar,and it is used to describe something that is transitory. For example, for me to state in Portuguese, “I am the son of Nelson Costa,” I would use the verb ser, because I am his son and I will continue to be his son forever. It is unchangeable.

The verb used in the inscription on the painting was estar, meaning that the ship, although anchored, was in the harbor temporarily—it would not be there forever. As you know, ships are not built to stay in the harbor. Looking at the beautiful painting on the wall of the institute building, I was reminded that ships are meant to navigate the oceans and to experience adventure. I was reminded that it is the same with us.