Unsung Heroes

Hey, Luke. Hey, everybody. It's harbor pilots time on a Thursday caregiver Thursday on the Quadraspere. I'm speak wonder and I'm here to speak some words of life into you as I receive them from you in the chat. In the chat. Could you put in. I guess. I guess I'm just going to ask you to put in the words unsung hero, just so I'm seeing that you're seeing me and that it's an acknowledgement that you have them in your life or that you are one. Just two words. If you would type it in the chat along with some maybe hearts unsung hero.

Because I want to cast a special light on that today. For some reason unknown even to me, I've been doing a deep dive into the RMS Titanic, which went down April 14, 1912, after it struck an iceberg. Maybe as a harbor pilot meister myself, loving all things harbors, all things nautical, the tragedy and the stories, the aftermath have always fascinated me. And lately there have been a couple podcasts about it, about the Titanic, in which in some cases they bring up interviews they've done in the past with survivors.

So of course, it was a maritime tragedy of just unprecedented. And of course she was supposed to be unsinkable. So the Titanic's crew was brave. A lot of their names made the news, but some of their names didn't. And that's what I want to represent today as a. An imagery provider, if you will, to the fact that there are unsung heroes everywhere every day. And so among the calm and the chaos, the leadership on deck was really put into the spotlight. Of course, the ship's officers. We're talking Titanic, if you're just hopping in, were among the first responders, Chief Officer Harry Wilde, First Officer William Murdoch and Second Officer Charles Lightholler.

They were all very, very instrumental in getting passengers evacuated. Lifeboats were launched. I know you've heard the stories. I have, too. Some of the lifeboats were barely filled. Why? Lots of reasons. Some of the passengers didn't want to get in the lifeboats. That was a scary, scary proposition. They were dropping 80ft off starboard into the water in a lifeboat, but still splashing into the cold, cold sea. So the strict orders from the captain or from the, yeah, the chief officer were women and children first.

And so they appropriately filled the lifeboats first with women and children. There could have been more fear and panic, but the officers stayed composed, calm, and maintained their leadership, even to the sacrificing of their own lives. Below the Deck, we don't hear a lot about the engineers and firemen in the boiler rooms. Acts of bravery unfolded that are just usually not acknowledged. The engineering team, which was led by Chief Engineer Joseph Bell, stayed at their post to keep the ship's power running.

Why was this important? Well, by maintaining electricity, they ensured that those SOS signals could go out and alert, you know, which turned out to be the Carpathia, to come get them, the survivors. And also so the lifeboats could be lowered in light. So the electricity helped the lifeboats to be lowered in a way that they could see. Because it was after midnight, the firemen, trimmers and greasers worked to keep the pumps operational. All this way below deck, in the belly of the beast. Their efforts, their heroic efforts bought time because then more passengers were able to escape.

Almost all the men in there, the firemen and so on, perished in the disaster. Distress calls, okay, the wireless operators, that's what radio was back then, was called the wireless. And because of those folks, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride, they were extremely pivotal in the rescue operation after Titanic began to lurch and resign herself to the sea. So as the water flooded into their workspace, they continued sending SOS signals to nearby ships via wireless. And in spite of that chaos, Phillips worked until the very last moment, and Bride barely escaped with his own life.

And they transmitted radio signals through the wireless to the RMS Carpathia, which arrived in time to save over 700 people. Without those two guys dedication, the loss of life would have been much more. Stewards, deck crew guiding passengers to safety. Lots of stories about that. The story I didn't find on this website, but I've seen it before. And of course it was showcased in the movie Titanic, which I think was released in the 90s. There was a. A group of musicians who played hymns, and they chose to stay up on the upper deck the entire time.

And they perished. They chose to stay and play. Famously, I think the hymn that is cited is Nearer My God to Thee. So those folks, you know, the musicians, a lot of the deckhands prioritized everybody else's safety over their own. And so it is quite a legacy. There are a lot of commemorations, a lot of acknowledgment on these heroes. They all deserve recognition. The ones who are in the spotlight, the ones who were not. And so that's what I'm getting at today, using the. The RMS Titanic as an example is that whether there is trouble brewing, whether there's a health crisis, whether a bad report came home from school and you're managing that with your kiddo or whether it's fairly smooth sailing right now in the caregiver role, as a mom, as a hands on caregiver, as an emotional support, as educator.

Whatever it is you do in the caregiving arena, you sometimes might feel unseen and you sometimes feel like you prioritize the others over yourself. Do give yourself space and a place for respite, for creativity, for deep breathing. Step away when you can and know that you know that you know you are cherished, you are valued, you're highly favored and even though the recipient recipient of your care may not say it in words, you are appreciated. And I have. I have a red winged blackbird and I think it's the same one.

He comes and sits in my feeder and just yells and yells at the window. The feeders are full. He's fine. But I digress. I'm wearing my corduroy jacket in May in Erie, Pennsylvania because I'm going out to lunch soon with a friend and she'll be out there soon to pick me up. Unsung Heroes these are the tugboats in the harbor that show up relentlessly, do their job because they love the person they're giving care to because they're depended on and I just want you to know you are appreciated. Thanks all those who've joined.

I'm having a little difficulty reading comments today, so as I wrap things up, I have just a few minutes. I I can still be on the live and I'm going to end today's Cadre with one of my poems. I read this to you before in early March, and I'm going to read it to you again. It seems fitting for today, today's theme being on my Cadre. Unsung Heroes. Words Are Vessels A poem for Caregivers. Words are vessels. Words carry you home. They sail into your waiting, aching heart to soothe, to rejoice, to sustain.

They are container ships and they're loaded with supplies, with life giving reinforcements. One word can be an icebreaker. It's prow plowing through the obstinates, breaking up the bitterness, slicing through generational hostilities, melting animosity into absolution. Words are vessels. They are steamships, ocean faring and seaworthy, propelled by good intentions and tender, caring hearts. They are windjammers, scooting passengers to high adventure or quiet coves. Words are vessels. Words are waiting aboard the flagship, dripping with meaning, heavily armed with grace, humility, and delight.

A fleet of word vessels follow in its wake, a nimble convoy of support at the ready to shore up your rigging to prevent despair, to stand in the gap for your fractured, weary soul. Words are ferry boats inviting you to park and grip the railing and breathe in the salt sea air, gently delivering you across the waters to a new perspective. Words are vessels. Choose yours. They can be your very own kayak, light and watertight, singular in the vast blue water. Words spoken tenderly over yourself. Words such as try again.

I've done enough today. I will stay in this moment. It has something it wants to show me. I am enough. It's okay to lift my paddles out, to allow my hands to relax in the whispering current. It's okay. I'm all right. Words are Vessels. A splendid regatta of sailboats racing into the harbor, each bright and brilliant sail speaking life, every voice hollering, I see you. And your voice echoing, hey, yes, I see you too. Words are vessels. Words are mighty fleets. And yes, they are sleek and agile catamarans.

They are spoken, wind driven, imagined and ethereal. Let's fill our arsenal and set sail for hearts that need to hear from your harbor master and your bender of words into poetry. Speak wonder. I leave you with light and laughter. Speaking of laughter, three o' clock Eastern, we get to hear Ms. Shannon Paul comedy in the chaos. Be an unsung hero. Acknowledge when you are praised and delighted in and keep doing what you're doing because you're the most It.