Let's Talk About...Ships

Let's talk about ships, shall we?
You know, the kind we all wait for to "come in"?
It's really another aspect of "When/Then" happiness....
"I'll be happy WHEN my ship comes in. Then I'll be happy."
Aside from the obvious problem of When/Then happiness, (it never really happens...) there's the problem of WAITING...
If all we do is wait for our ship to come in, we're going to be waiting... a... long... time...
Some people wait all their lives.
Some people even do it based on religious convictions.
After all, doesn't the Bible to say to "Wait on the Lord"?
But does this mean we should just sit... and wait?
No.
It means there's a time when we SHOULD take action.
But we have to be wise in discerning WHEN that time comes.
Waiting, either "on the Lord" or "for our ship" isn't going to do a bit of good if we're not willing to ACT when the time is right.
If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.
I remember, back in the early 2000's, (and man, does that seem like a long time ago?) I went through some unfortunate times.
Not only was I dealing with some severe medication issues, but my life's work, a drug and alcohol halfway house I founded had to be closed. The 9/11 attacks had dried up my funding sources.
I was depressed.
Real depressed.
Very depressed.
So depressed I was having thoughts I really didn't want to have.
The kind that said "The world would be better off without you."
I didn't want to listen to those thoughts, so I put myself in the VA hospital for a tune-up. A mental health tune-up, so to speak.
One of my fellow inmates, uh... I mean patients.... was a very successful man. A very wealthy man. And also a very vocal atheist.
Of course, in my mind, I was thinking, "That's just great. Here I am, a guy that's dedicated my life to helping others and doing what I'm supposed to do and believing what I'm supposed to believe, and I have nothing. And here's a guy that let's everyone KNOW he doesn't even believe in God, and he's got... everything." 
Why?
I could've been all pious, and reminded me of all sorts of Bible verses, but my thoughts went in a different direction.
He was successful because He DID something.
He didn't wait for someone else, not even God, to do it for him.
In contrast, too many people sit on their, well, you know, and wait for God, or someone else, to do it for them.
It doesn't work like that.
If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.
To put it bluntly, so often we fail to achieve because we're sitting on our rear ends and waiting, instead of standing up and doing something. 
I had a friend years ago who was fond of saying "Do something! Even if it's wrong, do something!" I really didn't understand him back then.
But I do now.
Do something.
Even if it's wrong.
Why?
Because it's action.
If it's wrong we can fix it later, but at least it's action.
Success takes action.
God, the Universe, Life, whatever you want to call it... rewards action.
If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.
I'm reminded of two fisherman, out in a rowboat on a large lake, watching a huge storm bearing down on them. One asks the other, "Shall we pray, or should we row?"
The other guy answers, "Let's do both..."
Action.
And faith.
Faith is good too.
But faith demands action.
If we're feeling stagnant, if we're feeling stuck in a rut (which is just a grave with the ends knocked out...) if we're feeling frustrated....
Maybe we shouldn't wait for our ship to come in.
Maybe we should swim out to it.
Peace be upon you.