Thus a sign in exquisite lettering on an old woodcarving my parents used to have on a wall of their apartment in Belgrade when I was growing up. I still remember exactly where it stood. It showed a few galleys braving the waves. The woodcarving celebrating Spain’s colonial past disappeared at some point, though. My father had a habit of giving things to friends who admired them, and this is what must have happened with it. But the Spanish proverb is still with me so many years later. It may well be that I crossed the Atlantic thrice on account of its wisdom. Although I am not eager to cross any oceans any longer, I still dream of a slightly different version of the proverb: it would end with “el universo” instead of “la mar.” And the woodcarving would show a few spacecrafts braving the galaxies. The spirit is still with me, no doubt. Only the oceans have shrunk into insignificance, I guess.

Addendum (September 9, 2016)

For some reason, this proverb of my childhood has been ricocheting through my mind all day today. When no-one is within an earshot, I pronounce it aloud over and over again. More often than not, I simply enjoy the language itself, for Spanish has always been close to me heart. In terms of both flavor and punch, it is just a notch behind Italian in my mind. On occasion, I cannot but ponder the peppy proverb, too. The sea in it stands for the other side. The other side can be another continent or another planet, but it can also be another state of mind. And enlightenment is the quintessential other side, as well. It is often portrayed as the far bank of a mighty river, for instance. Indeed, enlightenment cannot be reached without tremendous risk. It is like crossing the treacherous unknown to reach the desired world. In the end, it is the adventure of a lifetime. This is my reading of the old proverb on this day among days. The reading, I would venture with gusto. And I wave blithely from the other side…