Freedom is not that you can do everything, it’s also that you are allowed to do nothing

Ship: Johnny
Date: 16.02.2025
Position: nördlich ausgelaufen von Kuba
Nautical position: 23° 32,9’N 081° 18,3’W
Etmal: 29 nm
Total: 7919 nm

Actually, I don’t really like philosophy; it is not a subject that really interests me. But today, I was also not really sure about what I should write because nothing happened. Malte then told me why I don’t just write about the topic of nothing. I also got a pack of ramen from Jacibaki as motivation. That’s why I will now write something about nothing.

Nothing is like when you look up at the sky, and you only see darkness – no stars or light, nothing. It makes you free from all the nasty devils in your head and you don’t have to care about anything. You can compare nothing with freedom. When you neither think about nor do anything, you’re kind of free.

There are so many moments in your life where you are overwhelmed, going crazy, or stressed by something. You wish you could pull the lever so that every sorrow could go – like you would try to get the sky rid of stars. In everyday life, you would try to get rest in your room by watching a movie or scrolling on TikTok or Instagram. For some, this is the definition of doing nothing. But are you sure that this is really doing nothing?

If you think about it, your brain still gets stimulated by stuff from your environment and problematic situations. You will still think about the things that bother you when you see a post on social media that triggers you.

At home, I tried very often to get to the point where I could think about nothing and calm down from my environment. But I never really succeeded because I got bored every time and then grabbed my phone to get rid of the boredom. I always wanted to reach nothingness, but my phone, thoughts about homework and the next exams, or normal tasks were in my way. I never got to the point where I could get rid of the stars from my sky.

But this changed since I’ve been at Ocean College. I’ve learned how freeing nothing can be and that the imagination of freedom can be reached. Our normal day on board includes going on watch, cleaning the ship, having school, cooking and so on. But the difference in how I handle this compared to home is that I can calm down (which is also because we don’t have our phones).

Here on board, doing nothing is not comparable with boredom but with freedom. Lying on the deck, watching the clouds and waves, doing nothing, not thinking about anything that could happen in the future – only the here and now – to enjoy the nothing. Letting the clouds float away from me, watching the nothing on the horizon.

This is exactly my nothing, my freedom, which makes me happy. This is why Sunday is so important for me on board. I have a long time to do nothing and enjoy it. When I’m home again, I want to continue this so that my nothing will still be so special to me.

Maybe you can also try to enjoy the nothing. You can lie down on the grass, maybe grab an MP3 player (but please don’t take your phone with you because it will distract you), and just watch the sky. Forget about what will happen in the next few minutes or what you could do better or more effectively. The here and now counts – the nothing, the freedom, the luck.

Today, still a little bit happened:

• We left the port and are now sailing in the direction of Bermuda.
• I was the lucky one to steer the ship out of the port and I really liked it (you have to understand that everybody is fighting over who will steer the ship in and out of a port).
• Our new crew is very lovely.
• In the afternoon, we were only sailing at 2 knots.
• No one is seasick or threw up (but it’s because we don’t have a lot of wind).
• We had cheesesticks for dinner, which was one of the best things of the day.
• Today is Papa Johan’s birthday and because of that, we got soft drinks and sang „Viel Glück und viel Segen“ in a canon.

So happy birthday, Papa Johan! We hope you had a nice day and thank you for the drinks and for the whole trip.

A few „philosophy“ quotes from us:

Jana: I never tried it, because of that, I’m convinced that I will make it.

Benni: Don’t dream about your life, live your dream.

Anna L.: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade out of it.

Anna L.: At the end, everything will be good, and when it’s not good, it’s not yet the end.

Frieda: Everything has an end, besides the sausage—it has two.

Frieda: The best day is today when you make it so.

Remo(lade): Life is real; be life and not fake.

Johanne: You can only see with your heart; the important is invisible to the eyes.

Julius: Try to be the best every day.

Anna G.: Carpe diem.

Juno: Hakuna matata.

Paul (Thees): The sea doesn’t know justice.

Frido: You can’t force realization; because of that, I don’t have one (quote).

Noam: At the end of the day, it’s still the evening.

Yannik: Live every day as if it’s your last one.

Vera: Yesterday, the devil whispered into my ear: „You’re not strong enough to withstand the storm.“ Today, I whispered into the devil’s ear: „I am the storm.“

Alex(andra): For every door that closes, another opens.

Malte: Freedom is not that you can do everything; it’s also that you are allowed to do nothing.

Thees: Life isn’t a pony farm.

Gert: There are no problems, only solutions exist.

Boy from Morocco: You have the aura of a lion.

Daniel (Norbert): I’m as flexible as a crowbar.

Daniela: What you can get today, delay until tomorrow.

Nele: Remember to look up at the stars, not down at your feet.

Greetings:

Nele: Ganz großes Danke für die Briefe, ich hab mich sehr gefreut, besonders von dem von Dir, Tilli. Ich bin sehr stolz auf Dich für Dein Zeugnis❤️Ich hoffe, es geht euch gut und die Briefe für euch sind auch schon auf dem Weg. Hab‘ euch lieb und alles Gute nachträglich zum Geburstag Omi, ich hoffe, Du hattest einen wunderschönen Tag❤️

Litti: Lieber Miam, alles alles Gute zum Geburtstag, geniess‘ Deinen Tag, ich hab‘ dich ganz dolle lieb. ❤️❤️❤️
Liebe Marie, es tut mir sehr leid, dass ich Dir ned an Deinem Geburtstag gratuliert hab‘, aber ich habs ziemlich verpennt. Naja, alles alles Gute zum Geburtstag nachträglich, ich hoffe, Du hast deinen Tag genossen, hab‘ Dich lieb❤️❤️
Dear Liz I know its a little bit late but Happy Birthday, I hope, u enjoyed your day, love u❤️❤️

Carlotta: Ich hab‘ euch alle ganz doll lieb und vermisse euch sehr❤️❤️❤️wir sehen uns einfach in ca. neun Wochen wieder, die Zeit ist so schnell vergangen 🥹🫣 wir sehen uns schon ganz bald wieder 😘🥳

Helene: Danke für die Post, hab mich so gefreut alles zu lesen😘(habe sie leider erst bekommen nachdem meine Briefe schon abgegeben waren). Danke Anne dicker Bussi, auch an Omi und Heidi, natürlich viele Grüße und bis bald! Und an Leo: Ganz gute Besserung, werd‘ gesund! Drücker!
Ah und Mami, kannst Du mir schonmal 1-2 Termine bei Frau Eix machen 🙂

Anna G.: Hey hey Mama, ich hab‘ mich sehr über Deinen Brief gefreut und hab Dir schon einen zurück geschrieben! Ich hab‘ da auch geschrieben, ob du mir ein neues Tagebuch schicken kannst so eins wie das gelbe, das wir in Japan gekauft haben, also gleiches Format und auch von Leuchtturm. Hoffe, das geht und Du suchst mir ne schöne Farbe aus. Liebste Grüße und Umarmungen an Dich, Papa und Finnibär!❤️ Vielleicht sind wir bald auf den Bahamas, drückt mir die Daumen, dass das klappt😘🫶