Parting Gifts
The Spirit of the Sea
Read the Lyrics
Singing Key
Take care of all that ails you When you set sail across the water When the waves are beating heavily You'll have to hold your own I'll be beside you: A lucky charm, a guiding light Like the way the sunlight sparkles in the purling of the tide Or the way the water glistens in the play of the Moonlight I'll be hot tea when you're grumpy Or a lifeline if you need me I'll be for you when I'm not even there If you set sail across the water, think of me. I'll be with you if you need me, like the Spirit of the Sea I'll be with you if you need me, think of me There may be tough times ahead Choppy waters and long nights When you feel thinner than a cloud And you think you're fading out If there's a hard watch And you feel cold to the bone I'll be with you, buddy Body, mind and soul Where this old ship might take us next… nobody knows If you set sail across the water, think of me. I'll be with you if you need me, like the Spirit of the Sea I'll be with you if you need me, think of me
Sit With This
- Is there somewhere you can go to listen to the way that light plays on water?
- Who has been "hot tea" for you when you needed it?
- How do you let others care for you without feeling like a burden?
- What helps you remember that you don't have to carry everything alone?
Audio Recording
The Deeper Dive
I was circumnavigating the Atlantic with 48 teenagers, 6 teachers, and 22 crew. Covid had just ended and everybody was a-jitter. We had to quarantine 9 positives in the belly of the ship and stay at sea. After successfully navigating it together, the crew made ready to scatter into their own lives. My colleague had a saying: the water can hold everything. It can.
⭕ Going Forth Circle ▾
A practice from the Work That Reconnects · Joanna Macy, Active Hope
If you haven't already closed with the Going Forth Circle, this is the moment. One sentence each: "I go forth to..." Then silence, then the song.
Facilitation note: keep it simple and brief. The silence after speaking is as important as the speaking itself.
🌬️ Gratitude Wind Through People Trees ▾
A closing gesture of appreciation, moving through the group like wind through trees.
How it works
Standing in a loose circle, one person turns to their neighbour and offers a brief, genuine appreciation — for something specific from the evening, or simply for their presence. That person turns to the next, and so on, until it has passed all the way round.
Facilitation note: keep appreciations short — a sentence is enough. Let it move at its own pace; don't rush it. 5–8 minutes for a group of ten to fifteen.