Magnetic

June 02, 2023 – White Rock, BC

“The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore.” Ferdinand Magellan

Our grandson Leo is graduating from high school this month, so we have been trying to come up with an appropriate gift to mark the occasion. We had months to think about it but on Sunday, five days before we were set to get together, we still didn’t have a gift. We had a few ideas, but they all seemed impersonal or cliché – the pressure was on.

Bear and I sat down in my office Sunday morning with a coffee and brainstormed. Nothing was clicking, until Bear came up with the idea of a compass.

“Exploration” “Finding Your Way” “Not Getting Lost”, all that symbolism seems appropriate, she said.

“Do you mean something like this”? I reached my arm out to the back of my desk and retrieved this box.

I have a fascination with ancient navigation and this compass has been sitting on my desk for years.

I have a rudimentary understanding of how to use it, but a bright young man like Leo will be able to figure it out without any trouble. If he ever gets lost, or if he wants to embark on an adventure, Leo will have the proper instrument to do it.