Anchors Aweigh

Anchor
Originally uploaded by Tokyorosa

I only know it from the song, of course, "Anchor's aweigh!" the signal that the anchor is clear of the sea bottom and that the ship is officially underway.

Here's an anchor that sits in front of the university's naval reserve officer training corps building. I'm not sure why a university in the desert has a naval reserve officer training corps, but, you know, this anchor hasn't seen the sea in a long time probably.

This anchor caught my eye while I was walking across campus on Wednesday, enjoying the sunshine.

This anchor and its ugh-ness, its heaviness, stood in stark contrast to the lightness of the day, to how light and unencumbered I felt walking across campus in the early fall sunshine, this bit of Indian summer.

This anchor reminded me of how weighed down I used to be, of how fat I once was, of how uncomfortable it was for me to walk across campus from class to class, of how walking for enjoyment was not even part of my existence then. (And here's the secret that isn't so much a secret to those of us who have done it: Shedding the weight was actually easier than being fat. Much easier.)

Anchor's aweigh!

This anchor also reminded me of how unencumbered an existence I have now, of the freedom I have had (and still have) to move through this world, to travel, to decide who I am and what I want to do.

Anchor's aweigh!

It's like the song. Do you know the song?

Anchors Aweigh, my boys,
Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to foreign shores,
We sail at break of day.
Through our last night on shore,
Drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more,
Here's wishing you a happy voyage home!