Sea Shanties

Haul away JOE

Fishing in Boston

What's up guys, this week was all about stepping outside of my comfort zone. Now this is a really scary thing to do, yet I am proud to say I survived! It's like you do all this overthinking about what could possibly go wrong but then the experience was not even as bad as you thought it would be. Now, if I can do it then certainly everyone is capable of taking that big step forward.

We began by meeting the BCYF Jackson Mann and YES programs at the Pop Up Museum in the North End. It was a quiet, cloudy morning that felt like the rain would be coming any minute now. Anyone who'd have taken a look inside the museum could see how alive and

Fish Printing!

boisterous it was. David taught the youth a lesson about the famous tale of the lady in black. Signaling us by beginning to switch the subject to the importance of team work and leading us to sing a sea shanty for them. And so we sang, "WAY HAUL AWAY, WE'LL HAUL AWAY TOGETHER, WAY HAUL AWAY WE'LL HAUL AWAY JOE!" as we went around the circle and sang a different verse I could feel my anxiety rising as all eyes would be casted upon me. I cleared my mind and just sang along. As insignificant as it may seem, singing (when you can't sing) in front of a group of people you just met, makes one feel quite vulnerable or even embarrassed. Rather than shy away I pushed myself to embrace the attention in a different way, a positive one. Yes I may not have been on key but I made a few small people (including myself) giggle. I also encouraged them to sing along and they did. A young man was singing to the top of his lungs and together we spared a few happy moments for each other.

That was my second time singing to a group of kids I just met. To point out my first time earlier that week at Georges where we sang our favorite sea shanty, Haul Away Joe, at the park. If you recognize Georges you'll notice the small playground they have next to the cafe. Well, my staff and I climbed up the mini Fort Warren all the way to the top to sing Haul Away Joe. Being my first time, I was surprised at how quickly I jumped in to sing a verse, since no one else was really willing to. I would call it the most valuable thing I've done so far this summer. These times that I felt afraid or just embarrassed to be singing in front of strangers, I did not quit or try to opt out. It was way outside my comfort zone but I was able to learn from it. Instead of dwelling on the what-ifs, I went straight into it. I wouldn't say that now I am prepared to sing in front of a crowd or anything crazy like that but it showed me that some things are not as bad as they seem.

Touch Tank x Atlantic Wharf