I am a team player. I love being a part of a community and feeling like I am making a contribution, doing my bit. Each of us is part of several communities and they give us a sense of belonging, a tribe that we are a part of and with which we share some common ground. Communities tend to have a scale of belonging which is a function of your time as part of the group and the level of your contribution. There is always a core group that claims the status of being more a part of the community than the majority who dwell on the fringe.
Being on the fringe is not always a welcoming place and often where most of us find ourselves. I have always held a seed of self-doubt, a voice telling me I am not really part of a community unless I contribute greatly. There are always barriers to entry that aren’t clearly defined and the path to full acceptance is not always obvious.
Then we joined the cruising community and discovered that despite our short time in this group we feel no less a part of it than people who have been out here for many years. There is no judgement on how long we have been sailing, how many miles we have travelled or the boat we are on, it is all about the commitment we have made to doing this and that is enough to bring us into the fold. The cruising community is fiercely protective of its members and we have never felt like fringe dwellers.
When there is nothing but ocean in all directions, cruising can be lonely, but it is comforting to know that the community will spring into action if we need help. In Minerva Reef, a 100ft schooner sent out a call for a fuel pump, so we took over our bag of spares and paid it forward. Leaving Minerva we encountered various problems which led to a fouled prop and the fire extinguisher being held at the ready; at the news a nearby yacht reached out to check up on us. That same boat we later saw run aground on a reef and damage their rudder, so we stuck close to them over the next few days until they could head back to the mainland. The community is always there, in small ways, swapping mung beans for baked goods, or in bigger ways, ensuring the safety of our fellow sailors.
So I am thankful to the cruising community for taking us in and showing us that we do not need to be sparing with our level of inclusion and that opening up freely to newcomers is more rewarding than creating barriers and a sense of exclusivity. I am thankful for the people who have helped us as well as those who have accepted our help, without questioning our credentials. A sense of belonging is a wonderful thing, and I love being able to say, without any feelings of self-doubt, that I belong to the cruising community.
Bosun