a cleat, an anchor
fasten, secure, clamp …
hang on to something
I like to sit on the Calhoun Street Dock on the May River at the foot of the bluff that gives Bluffton, South Carolina its name.
The fact that Calhoun Street is named for John C. Calhoun is for another time and another day.
The Calhoun Street dock is a tidal dock and it floats on the water and goes up and down with the 8 feet of ocean tide that reaches this far up the May River.
Anyone can tie their boat up the dock and leave the boat there while they boat owners enjoy beautiful downtown Bluffton.
Boats can be left tied up for three hours which is all anyone needs to enjoy beautiful downtown Bluffton.
The dock is lined with deck cleats.
We sit on the dock and watch boaters tie up to the dock.
There are the weekend boat owners or maybe those who have found themselves driving a boat that weekend, who slowly maneuver closer and closer to the dock and then have some jump over with a rope and pull the boat in.
Those folks take ropes from the bow and the stern and wind the ropes around and around the cleats until there is a great wad of rope wrapped around the cleat and the boat is made fast.
And the boat owners hopes it is secure.
Then there are those boat owners who come in fast, back down at the last moment, swing the bow away and drop the boat right next to the dock at a dead stop.
They step over to the dock and take the bow line and with a quick slick twist of their hand, drop a ring of rope around the cleat in such a way that when pulled tight, the rope locks itself over and under the cleat.
Not only is the boat secure, but with another flick of the wrist, the loop comes undone and the rope is free of the cleat.
And the boat owner knows it is secure.
I have watched this 100 times.
I have practiced this (at home with a make shift cleat) 100 times.
I still can’t get it.
And I guess you get it or you don’t.
I have studied United States History most of my life.
At one point the plan was to teach the wonderful history of this country that thought maybe they were different than the rest of the world.
When all other governments came crashing, smashing down, the United States of America and its Constitution, THE OLDEST continuously in user written Constitution in the World today, was an anchor, something to hang on to, something to secure the hope of the world.
There was such promise in the history of the United States.
A promise for a future.
You either get it or you don’t.
Now I am not so sure.
There sure seems to be a threat to all we held dear and cared for.
It also seems that if there are any folks who can do anything about these threats, they are busy renting rooms in the front of hotel that is on fire in the back.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
So says the Bible in the Book of Psalms.
I would like an anchor.
I would like something in these times to hand on to.
Paul (or maybe not Paul) wrote about God’s promises in his letter to the Hebrews, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Once more, you either get it or you don’t.
Faith in the United States and a hope.
Faith in God and much more than a hope.
No Haiku For You 