Rowing the boat

When I think of the DOC I think of all of us rowing a boat together.
Weird, I know. Bear with me here.
We are on a journey together, each of us placed here for a common goal, to support one another.
To say to each other 'You are not alone on this journey, I am with you."
To lift each other up, no judgments and no blame, no criticism that stings and no harsh words that wound.
That's why I came to the DOC and why I stay, because I'm in the darn boat and I need help.

So, we are all in the same boat.
PWDs, CWDs, T1s, T2s, caregivers, relatives.
One boat.
And that boat fits all of us. Every single one of us. Amazing, isn't it?
There is always more room in the boat. Always.
We welcome new members aboard, although it's a boat they never wished to travel on.

The water is smooth sometimes.
Its sunny some days and cloudy the next.
And sometimes the ocean is choppy and rocks the boat.
Sometimes it's so rough that it almost tips us over.
The funny thing is, it never does.

You see, we are all rowing the boat.
But, we are all not rowing at the same time you see.
Sometimes, people need rest from rowing. It's tiring to row all the time.
People grow tired, people get upset, people are done with this boat and this ocean and all these other people on this damn boat. And they wish to get off, to just stop rowing.

That is the time that the others on the boat say to that person -
"Let me row for a while. I have the strength now. You take a rest. Clear your mind. Look at the ocean. Chat with others. I'll do the hard work and keep us afloat and steady on the course. Let me row for a while."

And we all take turns rowing.
We know that it could be us soon enough, needing a break.
We know that we have the strength to lift the oars when others are tired.
We are in the boat and it is what is saving us.