A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for

Safety(to remain in the harbour) vs purpose (to float in the ocean) of life.
A ship docked in the harbour does not experience thunder, lightning, storms but
simultaneously cannot prove its capability without sailing to open sea.
Although safety is good, there isn't much one can do when one is completely secured. A
certain amount of safety must be abandoned in order to take action.

MAIN IDEA OF THE ESSAY:

It’s about choices in life whether we want to take a safe and comfortable route to ensure
security or predictability in life. Taking risks in life involves uncertainty but that also gives
infinite opportunities, learnings, growth and positive changes in ones as well as others lives.
This is what life is all about and that is constant exploration.
It is human nature to settle down for what is within reach. Change is hard and often we
choose easy goals. But deep inside there are a lot more things that we can do by just stepping
out of our comfort zone. Every opportunity comes with responsibility. Trusting one's own
capabilities, taking responsibility for work and not blaming others are the biggest hurdles
for change.

In practicality there are many examples where people thought to change the norms,
traditions; confronted the institutions, structures, faced the hurdles but did not choose the
risk free life and finally achieved the goal.

Anecdotes:

1. Christopher Columbus was born in the Italian city of Genoa, in the family of weavers. He
didn't want to be a weaver. He loved the sea and wanted to be a sailor. As he grew old he
decided to find a sea route to Asia for which he went from place to place trying to get the
ships and sailors he wanted. He asked the people of his own home, the city of Genoa, he
tried the king of Portugal, the king of England, the king of France, the king and queen of
Spain. But for a long time nobody cared to listen to such a wild and foolish and dangerous
plan. Eventually he convinced Catholic Monarchs of Spain to sponsor his trip and despite
three failed trips he continued and found a new land i.e America. If had put his ship in
harbour due to fear of danger or failure, we wouldn't be remembering him today.
Born into a well-to-do farmer family in the backward Mali community, she was denied education by her parents but was
taught by her husband. In 1848, they established India's first girls' school in Pune. Despite facing severe abuse and
harassment from orthodox men, she remained resolute in her mission to educate girls. Her unwavering dedication eventually
silenced her detractors after a bold confrontation. This empowered woman, who went on to challenge and eradicate many
social evils, was none other than Savitribai Phule.

OR

2. Born in a well-to-do farmer family in the backward Mali community and denied education
by her parents she got education from her husband , who sent his wife to get trained at a
school and she passed with flying colours along with another women Fatima Sheikh.In
1848, the emancipated husband and wife finally established India's first school for girls in
Vishrambag Wada, Pune. Going to the girls' school to teach became a huge ordeal for her
. She faced innumerable abuses and listened to obscenities heaped on her on the way
to teach.Groups of orthodox men followed the first female teacher of India on her way
to work. They threw rotten eggs, cow dung, tomatoes and stones. They abused her in
obscene language.She would stop by and politely tell them,"My brothers, I am doing the
noble job of educating your sisters.The cow dung and stones that you are pelting on me
are not a deterrent but rather an inspiration for me. It is as if you are showering petals
on me. While I vow to serve my sisters, I also pray, 'May God bless you."Slowly walking,
she would arrive at the school, her strength ebbing away little by little each day,thanks to
the abuses .She continued in this manner for a while, but one day, things got out of hand.A
well-built ruffian stood in her path and told her that if she did not stop educating the Mahars
and Mangs, she would have to pay a heavy prize.A crowd gathered to watch the drama
unfold but none helped her. The unfazed woman slapped him hard. The stunned man ran
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away and so did the onlookers.The shocking news spread like wildfire all over the city of
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Pune and finally brought a stop to theevery-day abuse. She was none other than
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Empowered, Savitribai phule.She went on to work towards slowly questioning and

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eradicating a lot of other social evils.

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OR
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3. In the war of Mahabharata, Arjun had to fight his own cousins, relatives and teachers.
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On seeing his grand uncle Bhishma and his Acharya Drona. On the opposite side, he almost
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lost the will and courage and refused to fight. Arjuna was greatly disturbed about the
outcome of the war; destruction and death that was sure to follow. He thought it 'prudent'
to retire to forest rather than killing his own near and dear ones. At this time Shri Krishna
reminded him of his duty to fight for the truth and righteousness. Arjun would have been
at a safer side if he would have abandoned and not fought against his close ones but he was
destined to fight this war and though he had to go through mental anxiety but he is
remembered for fighting for the right.

OR,
 4. Nicolaus Copernicus was the first person to propose a heliocentric theory against the
popular geocentric theory backed by Church. After giving his theory, he was called mad
and lunatic. Catholic Church banned his book. Copernicus was a renowned astronomer and
could have lived a comfortable life. But he had the courage to say what he believed in,
irrespective of consequences. Due to his courage, he fulfilled the purpose of his life and
left a mark on the world forever.

OR,

5. Thomas Edison started his career by selling newspapers, candies and vegetables on the
trains. Then he joined a job and was fired from his first two jobs for being non-productive.
He failed 1000 times before inventing the light bulb but eventually he succeeded and then
he invented many devices. If Edison would have not taken the risk of pursuing his passion
then perhaps he would have sold newspapers and vegetables all his life but he was never
afraid to take risk and eventually achieved the purpose of his life.

OR,

6. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose topped Indian Civil Services (ICS) with rank 4 and was
among the very few Indians who could qualify the examination at such a young age. He
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could have lived his life comfortably working as a civil servant, but he chose to resign and
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struggle for the independence of the nation. His journey was not easy, he was put under
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house arrest, escaped and reached Germany under a pseudo name and did a lot for India’s
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independence by putting his comfort aside. If he would have chosen a safe and risk free
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life then perhaps we wouldn’t be remembering him today as we do.

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Brainstorming:
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1. Why is Ship safe in the harbour?

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2. What is its purpose?

3. How can it serve its purpose?
4. What difficulty does the ship face in leaving the harbour?
5. Why is it important for the ship to leave the harbour?
6. What happens when it leaves the harbour and sails into the deep sea?
7. How important is it for the ship to come back to harbour?
8. Conclusion

Why is Ship safe in the harbour?

Ships are safe in the harbours as it does not have the risk of storms and high tides, danger of pirates
or danger of sinking. Harbour is a place to be resourced and repaired. Similarly, life is also safe
and comfortable as long as we don't take any risks. In our mundane life, in the absence of risk, we
can afford twice the meal a day and other materialistic needs. It is due to the stability, predictability
and certainty that makes people feel that mundane life is safe.

What is its purpose?

A ship may be safe in a harbour, but if you wanted something safe, you would have built a
fortress, not a ship. A ship is vulnerable to the wind and waves, the rocks and reefs and enemy
action. But unlike a fortress, it can move wherever the wind and waves choose to go. A ship exists
to play the seas, to split the waves, to brave the weather and go to distant ports.

Life is synonymous with adventures and calculated risks of voyages of ships. It is meant to fulfil
its destiny, not squandered on mundane things. The purpose of life can not be found in stability
and never has been, it can only be found by having courage to take risks. The people who never
took risks could never mark their imprints on the lives of others and thus could never fulfil the
purpose of their life.

For instance, Kiran Bedi, first woman IPS officer, could have chosen to do any job which was
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considered suitable for women, or could have chosen to sit at home as it was considered apt for
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women to do. But she chose to stand against these views and stereotypes about women and
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their role in the society. She had encountered many challenges on her way but she had the courage
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and conviction to not only face them but also win over those challenges. It was her courage and
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conviction to take risks that made her a role model for many aspiring women in the country
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today. So, one needs to understand that the purpose of life is not just living but also leaving a
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mark on the world that they are always remembered.

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How can it serve its purpose?

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The ship docked in the harbour cannot reach its destination. Ships are purpose built to go to far off
destinations. They are not designed to sit in port; they serve no purpose sitting in port. They are
built to cross the horizon into that which we cannot see. It may encounter rough seas, storms,
pirates, or other dangers along the way, but if it chooses its route wisely, it will be able to make
it through all those obstacles to reach its destination. It also means do not go in blindly. Plan
your trip, gather your supplies, and set sail.

Harivansh Rai Bachchan says, “Lahron se dar kar nauka paar nahi hoti, koshish karne walon
ki kabhi haar nahi hoti”. (The boat does not cross the river, fearing the waves, those who try
never fail.)
many in past succumbed to the opportunites offered by britishers.... chose to give up on their dream of free
India.... yet we had brave , courageous leaders like SC Bose... who gave up the comfort of life and chose to
fulfil the dream of free and liberated india...

It means do not be afraid to take a risk, to set out on a new adventure, to try something new. To
serve one's purpose one should have courage and the right aptitude to take risks. For instance,
since the beginning of human civilization, there have been continued power struggles for which
many wars took place. A king without performing his duty is certainly safe but this is not what
kingship is for, s/he can never serve her/his purpose by being fearful of wars. Indian history is
testimony to the fact that kingdoms got destroyed when kings tried to become safe and emergence
of foreign British rule on the land was the result of this only.

Similarly, after independence, India faced the same dilemma. With the advent of world
government in the face of revitalizing the united nations, India felt safe and placed its ship of
defence capability in the dockyard. Due to limited financial capabilities, India started focusing on
poverty and hunger. But defence is largely ignored. Consequently, China attacked India in 1962
and harmed India's integrity. Subsequently, India took out its ship from the dockyard and
started building defence capability aided by the establishment of R&AW in 1968 and today
INDIA is a 4th biggest exporter of defence products in Indo - pacific region.Overall care of
the state is what the state is for. A nation can't depend on others.

Therefore, to fulfil one’s destiny, coming out of one's comfort zone is essential along with having
courage to take calculated risks. Being action oriented, takes us closer to our purpose of life, to
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either achieve our goals and do the things we’ve always wanted to do, or at least say we tried to
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get there, even if we fell short. The people like J. K. Rowling, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, etc. have
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faced it and by overcoming these challenges they have made a big name for themselves in the
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world. examples: falguni nayar... (nykaa)..... Usain Bolt....

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What difficulty does the ship face in leaving the harbour?

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Stability, predictability, and certainty of the harbour makes the ship not want to leave it. It is
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safe from storms at the harbour but it is meant to face and overcome those storms, then only it
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can fulfil its destiny/purpose. Similarly, we human beings are socialised in such a way that we feel
safe with familiarity. There is always an inertia in getting out of our comfort zone, although it is
key to experiencing new things, broadening our horizons and taking the risks that help us grow as
people. example: why youth aims to be a job seeker and not a job generator....
Attitude of some princely states , opening of Indian economy.....
For instance, despite aggressive behaviour of China, India always abstained from showing the
same aggressiveness in the early decades post-independence, because it was a new independent
country, which had already suffered a defeat from the Chinese side in 1962. Though many years
have passed, but the fear of failure has always stopped us. It was in the recent Galwan crisis
that we decided to give back tit for tat to China and realised our potential. So this fear of the
unknown and unpredictable is the biggest challenge in taking a risk and choosing a new path.
for progress, evolution, growth, social change....

example: at individual level; savitribai phule

at societal level: sati pratha, untouchability, triple talaq, LGBTQ rights

at national level: LPG reforms, GST.... Digitalisation

Why is it important for the ship to leave the harbour?

These ships at sea face some of the greatest risks; yet, interestingly, even a ship in harbour may
“rust and rot”. Safety is nice, but when you are completely safe, you really can’t do much. To
do things, you have to leave at least some of your safety behind and take risks. While prudence
has a prominent role in balancing safety and risk, what you have in the absence of risk is hardly
much of a life. Risk is what ships are built for.

Life brings many challenges, and change is not that easy. One should certainly do things that
make them uncomfortable and be willing to step out of their Comfort Zone. We often settle
for what is within reach. Often we pick easy goals or hard on ourselves feeling we can't go for
bigger goals. Deep inside we know that there is a lot more we can do. We may just need help in
some way. What is interesting is that, once you decide – the way appears. So the first step of
making a decision to take risk (or leave the harbour in case of a ship) is very important.

This does not mean walking blindly into the storm. The risks we take must be deliberated,
taking into account everything that may possibly go wrong. Every arrow you shoot – no matter
how far the target is – must be the result of a calculated move, not some misplaced optimism.
On the same line, India witnessed security threats from Pakistan in a series of attacks- Pathankot,
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Uri and Pulwama. After the Indo-Pak war in 1971, Pakistan realized that it can't win the war against
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India, it started the policy of 'bleed India by 1000 cuts.' India adopted maximum restraints by
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harbouring retaliatory capability under a

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nuclear overhang. India started sailing ships through surgical strikes with calculating risk.
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So the vision in life is very important and for that we need to take a few initial steps even though
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we may fail, but even failure teaches us a lesson which can make us better.
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For instance, after tragic failure of Aryabhatta, first satellite launched by ISRO, if ISRO
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scientists would have let the fear of failure win over their minds, they would have never been able
to make such a progress and India wouldn't have been one of the top countries in terms of space
science research.

As it rightfully said, “Udyamena hi sidhyanti kaaryaani na manorathaih” Any work is

accomplished by hard work, not just by wishful thinking. One can not expect to sit at home in his
comfort and expect good things to happen to him. Therefore, to achieve its destiny it is of utmost
importance for a ship to leave the harbour and for a person to leave his/her comfort zone.

What happens when it leaves the harbour and sails into the deep sea?
One the ship sails into deep sea, it realises its worth and has the potential to reach far off lands.
Similarly in life, Neitzsche talks about two kinds of people i.e. one having a winner mentality and
other having a loser mentality, one thing that distinguishes them is the capacity to take risks. None
can live forever, but one certainly can leave a legacy behind him/her by taking risks, and having
courage to follow one's calling to serve the purpose of their life.

For instance, Rosa Parks never thought of bringing revolution but her simple act of defiance and
courage to speak her mind changed entire course of American history and gave birth to one of
the biggest movements for equality in the history i.e. Civil Rights Movement.

Machiavelli also says that fortune favours the brave. History has been written by the people who
had the courage to take risks. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela could have
chosen to ignore the injustice and live their life comfortably but they had the courage to fight
against it, and their names are written in golden letters in the history.

The first step is always the hardest step. But if you have it in you to eke out the courage and proceed
forward. Success will follow. Help will come from many directions. Similarly, if a ship sails into
the deep sea then it can reach far off land that none can think of.

Setting sail to the open seas in search of adventure, discovery and a new life. It also encapsulates
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how valuable a harbour is for ships.
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How important is it for the ship to come back to harbour?

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Undoubtedly ships are meant for sailing like human life is meant for taking risks. But having a
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sense of security is also equally important. Strategic retreat is also important for going back to
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sea again. Harbour is a place of safety from the storm, to replenish, disembark, restock with
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supplies before setting sail again.

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Similarly, though courage and risk are very important for growth in any dimension of life, but
some sort of security is always good. One good example of it can be India’s economic policies.
Though India took risks by opening up its economy and bringing LPG reforms in the 1990s, but
it still ensured indirect government control like though price of agricultural products is
determined by market but still some form of control through MIS and MSP is ensured.
On the same line, in the context of society, such a system of security was established along with
risk. Leaders are not to be appointed through nepotism or favouritism. It must be open for
competition. Before the charter act 1853, competition in civil services was limited and that
too was from the nominated people. But the ship is built for sailing in a competitive
environment. Today, all exams are open tocompetition. But a security check was established to
realize social
justice through affirmative actions like the reservation policy that is enshrined in the Indian
constitution.

What qualities are required for the ship to sail?

● Safety is a nice idea. But imagining oneself as completely safe is not a good idea. Risk-
taking capability is one of the required skills of a good leader. Risk should be calculated
by keeping some safety majors in hand because the risk is what ships are built for. Risk
without security is useless as same as security without risk.
● For example -MS Dhoni took a calculated risk in the T20 world cup 2007 by giving
the last over to the inexperienced player, Joginder Sharma when only 13 runs were
needed in the last over. Thus, a fine balance is needed to maintain between these two
adhering to the principle of the 'middle path’ of Buddhism to extract utility out of it.

● Courage of Conviction: Life brings many challenges, change is hard. Heraclitus, the
Greek philosopher said, “Change is the only constant in life .” This change is made
by an individual who has courage of conviction anand thus enables an individual to not
settle for less than what he deserves by standing at the harbor .
● The accomplishment of Mirabai chanu of bagging a silver medal in weightlifting at
the Olympics 2020 is a strong example of this. om
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● Perseverance: The individual like the ship in life faces various hurdles but the one who is
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perseverant champions life.

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● For eg - Virat Kohli’s recent innings against pakistan shows that our bad
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times are not permanent but it is the consistent efforts which help us sail
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the odds .
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● Prudence :Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason.
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Prudence is required to assess one’s own strengths and weaknesses which helps in better
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decision making and thus enables us to take calculated risks .

Conclusion
Life is meant for adventures and risk-taking; it is meant to be as rigorous as a river, not like
some stagnant pond like a ship is meant to sail, not to be tied at harbour. While you may lead a
particularly safe and harmless life without taking any risks, that is probably not the way you are
supposed to live. Remember, even failures can be great teachers.

However, one who does not even try stands to gain little – neither from the joy that comes from a
victory, nor from the lessons that a failure imparts. Risk taking capability is one of the most
important skills of a leader, but it should always be a calculated risk with some safety measures.
A fine balance of risk and security is essential for growth as per the middle path principle of
Buddhism.

Nida Fazli famously said, “ Safar me dhoop to hogi, jo chal sako to chalo. Sabhi hai bheed
mein tum bheed se nikal sako to chalo”. (There will be sunshine in the journey, if you can walk
then walk. Everyone is in the crowd, if you can go out, then let’s go)

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